


Cooking Classes

by CalmChaos14



Category: Wentworth (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, F/F, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-01-20 23:01:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 67
Words: 330,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21289610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CalmChaos14/pseuds/CalmChaos14
Summary: A/U: When Franky decides to teach a cooking class for kids, she has no idea that one of her students will change her life forever.
Relationships: Franky Doyle & Bridget Westfall, Franky Doyle/Bridget Westfall
Comments: 1035
Kudos: 721





	1. Chapter 1

Franky moved quickly between the cooking stations making sure everything was prepped and ready for her next class. Today was the first day for her new group of students. She had started teaching classes at the local community centre and saving up the money she needed to make her dream of owning her own restaurant come true. She usually taught adults, mostly the basics, with some specialty classes like cake decorating thrown in sometimes. Today however, was the first time that she’d be teaching a class of children, and fairly young children at that, so she’d called in extra help in the form of her friends Liz, Boomer, Allie and Bea to make sure that none of the kids had to handle anything too sharp or too hot.

Franky was just finishing up when she heard the excited voices of the kids coming in through the doors and making their way to the various classes that would be happening that afternoon. Being that her students were so young, most only 4 or 5 years old, she had just eight in her class, so that each of her friends only had two that they had to keep an eye on.

“Okay everyone,” Franky whistled to get their attention and saw eight small faces turn toward her. “Coats and bags over there,” she said pointing to the hooks along the back wall, “then find a station and put on an apron.”

They all did just as she asked, and Franky was about to start her lesson when she noticed that one small girl was still standing at the back of the room looking around nervously. The brunette knew that feeling as she was a shy child herself at that age before life made her toughen up, so she walked over to the girl and crouched down so she could be at her eye level.

“Hey, what’s your name?” Franky asked in a calm, soft voice so as not to make the child even more nervous.

“Emily but most people call me Em or Emmy.” The girl took a deep breath then pointed to Franky’s arm where the bottom part of her colourful Phoenix tattoo was just visible below the rolled up sleeve of her chef’s jacket. “I like that, it’s pretty.”

“Aw thanks bub,” Franky smiled at the girl. Looking up she saw that Liz had an open spot at her workstation, and she thought she would be the perfect one to help bring the small blonde out of her shyness. “What do you say we go over and meet my friend Liz and she’ll help you with stuff today, okay?” The girl nodded slowly after a second and followed Franky over to where Liz was standing.

The tall brunette leaned over and spoke to her friend quickly and softly so that Emily wouldn’t hear her and feel embarrassed, “Hey Liz, this one seems really shy so just do what you do best, yeah?” Liz smiled and gave a nod as the child approached.

“Hey love, my name is Liz.”

“I’m Emily.”

“Oh such a beautiful name! Here’s your apron love, let me just tie it in the back here for you.”

Franky moved to the front of the class and began teaching. They were making chocolate chip cookies today which basically meant that the kids were just learning how to measure and mix ingredients together while Franky and her friends helped them with the ovens. Everything was going well, and soon the room was filled with the delicious smell of baked goods.

********

Bridget was looking forward to the end of this day from Hell. The prison seemed to be hurtling itself toward a state of chaos, and she had been running around all day trying to talk everyone into a state of calm and avoid a major incident. Today was also just the second day that she was looking after her niece. Her brother was away on business for the next month and she was the only one who was able to look after the young girl. All of the grandparents lived too far away and Emily’s mother had passed away just a year ago. She loved her niece dearly but she was used to only having herself to look after, so it was going to take a few days to establish a routine with the girl. She had let Vera know that she wouldn’t be able to put in any overtime for the next while and the governor had been more than understanding.

There were only a few minutes left to her work day and she was looking forward to picking up Emily at her cooking class and hearing all about what she had learned. Bridget had made the decision to sign her up when she saw the flyer posted at the centre on her way to one of her yoga classes. She thought it would be good for the young girl to have something to do while she was staying with her to keep her mind off missing her father and maybe she’d make some new friends too. Emily was a sweet child but she was still very shy and Bridget knew that this might be just what was needed to help bring her out of her shell even just a little bit.

As she was packing up the last of her things, the alarm sounded.

_“Attention compound: This is a lockdown. All prisoners return to your cells immediately. I repeat, this is a lockdown. All prisoners return to your cells immediately.”_

“You have got to be kidding me.” Bridget didn’t have time for this. A lockdown meant that no one was allowed in or out of the prison but she needed to leave on time today.

She lifted her bag onto her shoulder and made sure she had her keys and swipe card with her. Maybe if she could find Vera and remind her of what they had talked about then she would make an exception and let her leave on time. She spotted her just at the end of the hall and jogged the few steps to catch up with her.

“Vera, do you have a second?”

“Not really but go ahead.”

The governor seemed stressed, and Bridget figured it had been a bad day for everyone so she decided to be quick and to the point. “I know it’s a lockdown, but I really need to leave today. Normally I would stay, but today I just can’t.”

“Sorry, Bridget but protocol states that no one enters or leaves the building.”

“But I have to pick up my niece and we agreed that I’d do no overtime while she was here.” Bridget looked at her, pleading with her eyes for the other woman to understand.

“This isn’t overtime, it’s a lockdown. I have no control over it.”

“I understand but please Vera, I’d really appreciate it.”

“I’m sorry but no. There are still prisoners unaccounted for. If I let you go and something were to happen to you on your way out, I wouldn’t be able to live with that. Please, go back to your office and wait.” Bridget stood her ground but she knew she wasn’t going to win. “Please?” Vera asked one last time.

Bridget turned and walked back toward her office muttering a “fuck” under her breath as she went.

She entered her office and quickly looked up the number for the centre and dialled it on her phone. A sweet older lady picked up and she quickly explained the situation. She waited while the woman went to confirm that one of the instructors was able to stay and look after Emily. When she was told one of the chefs, by the name of Franky, was able to stay as long as needed, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Oh tell her thank you so much and I’m so sorry to do this. I’ll owe her.” The woman on the other end told her not to worry and hung up the phone. Bridget knew her brother would probably be upset for her leaving his daughter with someone who was essentially a stranger, but what other choice did she have at this moment? She sat at her desk and settled in for a long afternoon of watching the clock tick.

********

Near the end of the class, as the kids were helping to clean up, Franky began handing out colourful boxes so each of the kids could take home the treats they had made.

She saw Liz approach her out of the corner of her eye, “Franky love, we’ve got a bit of a situation.”

Liz didn’t look too panicked so Franky assumed that it couldn’t be anything too bad. “What’s going on?” She asked as she continued handing out the boxes with Liz following her.

“Emily’s aunt just called. I guess she’s looking after her while her Dad is away on business, and she’s gotten held up at work. She works at Wentworth and apparently something happened and the prison is on lockdown. She’s okay but no one’s allowed to leave.”

“So there’s no one who can pick her up?” Franky asked glancing over at the small child.

“I’m afraid not. It’s just her here, no other family nearby.” Franky took another look over at the girl and watched her packing up her cookies. Liz continued, “I’ve still got her aunt on the phone, I told her I’d let her know what we could do.” Liz was nervously playing with the edge of her apron.

“Tell her not to worry. I’ll stay with her until she can get here.”

“You sure?” Liz asked and Franky nodded. “She’ll be so grateful. I’ll go tell her now.”

As Liz made her way back to the phone in the office, Franky approached Emily and bent down to talk to her.

“Hey.” She smiled and Emily returned it although maybe a bit cautiously. “Your Auntie called and she has to stay and look after something at work, so she asked if you could stay here for a little while longer. Does that sound okay? You can hang out with me. I have something I could use some help with.” Franky thought that by keeping the child occupied with helping her it would take her mind off the fact that her Aunt wasn’t coming to pick her up on time and all the other kids were leaving.

The small blonde nodded and ran over to put her coat back on the hook by the door. Franky didn’t really have much experience looking after kids, and her own mother hadn’t been a role model to follow, but she had a soft spot for them and she was confident that she could handle this for a few hours.

Franky took her phone out of her pocket and made a quick call.

“Hey Kim, listen, I’m really sorry but I need to cancel tonight.”

Kim didn’t even give her a chance to explain. “What the fuck Franky! We’re supposed to be meeting in an hour!”

Franky tried her best to keep things calm, “Look, I only have a minute, okay? One of the kids in my new class has to stay behind for awhile because her Aunt got tied up at work so I’m going to wait with her. We’ll re-schedule though, yeah?” She hated to cancel plans, and judging by Kim’s reaction, she hated it even more, but Franky managed to smooth it over by saying she’d make it up to her.


	2. Chapter 2

Franky had a recipe that she had been trying to perfect for weeks now. It was nothing special, just a classic lasagna, but she was determined to get the seasoning and tomato sauce absolutely perfect. She decided that tonight would be the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the state of the art kitchen at the centre, and give it a trial run. Plus, it would give her something to keep the little one busy with.

She pulled a stool up to the counter so that Emily could help her prepare the meal. Franky showed her how to chop fresh herbs and dice onions. She made sure to give her a knife that wasn’t too sharp and never let her out of her sight.

“Aye, slow down a bit there bub, it’s not a race.” Franky was pleased with how well the little girl was taking to cooking, but she didn’t want her to get over-confident and cut herself because she was rushing or being careless, “Nice, slow, even cuts like I showed you, yeah?”

The small blonde nodded and went back to doing it exactly how Franky had shown her a few minutes earlier. The tall brunette stirred the sauce on the stove. It was almost ready for the seasonings and then they could start making the noodles. Franky was surprised at how quickly the child was picking up everything she was teaching her as she watched her carefully measure the seasonings into the sauce that was now simmering on the stove.

After everything was ready and the lasagna was in the oven, there was nothing left to do but wait. Franky went about cleaning up their workspace.

“Your Auntie must cook with you, hey?” She asked the child, thinking there was no way that this kid didn’t have some previous experience in the kitchen.

“No, Auntie Bridge can’t cook. Everything she tries to make tastes funny. She even made my sandwich wrong this morning.”

Franky was puzzled. “How did she make a sandwich wrong?”

“She put the cheese between the turkey and lettuce instead of on top of them.”

Franky just managed to hold in a small chuckle when she realized that Emily was being dead serious. “Well, that’s a serious offence, that is. Maybe we’ll have to sign her up for some classes too.”

The little girl giggled and Franky couldn’t help but smile. They hadn’t heard Bridget rush in after finally being allowed to leave the prison. She quietly stood and observed the pair for a moment, amazed at the easy conversation that her niece was having with the tall chef after only just meeting her that afternoon.

“What am I being signed up for?” Bridget spoke up as she approached the pair.

“Emily here reckons that you need some cooking classes too. Apparently there was a sandwich catastrophe this morning.” The brunette gave a playful smirk.

Bridget couldn’t help a small blush that crept into her cheeks. “Ah, yes, well, luckily that crisis was averted in the nick of time.”

“Luckily. I’m Franky.” Franky held out her hand and the blonde shook it.

“Bridget.”

“Bridget, I like it.” Blue eyes met green and Bridget swore that she could feel a shift happen somewhere inside of her.

“Are we going home now? I’m hungry.” Bridget was pulled out of her thoughts by Emily tugging on her sleeve, and only then did she realize that she was still holding onto Franky’s hand.

“Uh sure love, yeah. We can pick up something on the way home.”

Franky could sense that the blonde had had a long day. If it wasn’t obvious by the fact that she had put in at least a few extra hours at work, then the tiredness in her face gave it away.

“Why don’t you guys stay and have supper here? Em helped me try out a new lasagna recipe and it’s almost ready.” Franky didn’t really know why the invitation came out so easily, but she knew that she wasn’t ready for Bridget to leave just yet.

“I don’t know. I don’t want to impose. You’ve already done me a huge favor today.” In all honesty, Bridget would have loved nothing more than to sit down and try the meal that she could smell cooking in the oven, but she felt that she really shouldn’t ask any more from the brunette.

“Come on, you’ve had a long day, yeah?” Franky asked. Bridget nodded. “Probably skipped lunch?” Bridget nodded again. “Then stay and eat. It’s really no trouble.”

“Please Auntie?” Emily was looking up at her Aunt with the huge blue eyes that all the Westfalls had. “We can have the cookies I made for dessert.” Bridget looked from her niece back up to Franky.

“Hard to say no to that offer, isn’t it?” The brunette winked at Bridget then smiled down at her unknowing accomplice.

“Okay, fine, we’ll stay. Thank you again, so much.” The blonde didn’t know how to express the gratitude she felt at that moment.

“It’s nothing, really. Come on in and get settled.”

Bridget let Emily lead her into the room while Franky went about setting the table for the three of them. She could barely keep up with everything the girl was wanting to tell her about her day, especially the cooking class, and Franky could barely keep her eyes from wandering over to steal glances at the older woman.

“I was really nervous when I first got here but then Franky came over and talked to me and she let me meet her nice friend Liz and Liz helped me make the cookies and did you know that Franky let someone draw on her arm? It’s really pretty.” As Emily continued on, Bridget looked over to see the tattoo on the brunette’s left arm, just visible below her jacket. She wondered what the rest of it looked like and if there were any more hidden. “Auntie…..Auntie, are you listening?”

Bridget was pulled from her wandering mind by the small voice. “Huh? Yeah, yeah of course! Sounds like you had a big day!” The small girl continued to tell her Aunt, in detail, everything that she got to do in class and how Franky had let her help make supper.

“All ready over here!” Franky called them to the table where she had served up the lasagna along with a salad she had quickly put together.

The three of them ate in relative quiet except for when Bridget declared that this meal was possibly the best thing she’d ever tasted.

“Did you know Auntie Bridge is in prison?” The young Westfall blurted out, breaking the silence.

Franky’s eyebrows shot up at the little girl’s comment. “Is that so?”

Bridget gave a small nervous laugh. “I wasn’t…I’m not in prison. I mean…..I guess technically, yes, I was…..I work at the prison.” She talked to people for a living but all her skills seemed to have left her at the moment.

“Well that’s a relief. I thought for a minute there that I was going to have to report an escaped convict sitting at my dinner table.” The blonde laughed and Franky knew at that moment that she was in trouble, because she wanted nothing more than to hear that sound as much as possible, and to be the cause for it.

After they had finished eating, Franky was cleaning up while Bridget helped Emily gather her things and put on her jacket.

“I think we’re ready to go here but I just wanted to thank you again for everything today.”

“No worries! I needed a helper anyway.” Franky smiled and handed Bridget a bag with two containers filled with leftovers from their meal. “Here, don’t skip lunch tomorrow, yeah?”

Bridget nodded and gratefully accepted the food. “Thanks again.”

“Anytime, Gidget.” Franky gave her her signature smile and wrinkled her nose.

“It’s Bridget.” The blonde corrected her.

“I prefer Gidget.”

Bridget gave a small smile and a shake of her head, turning to leave, and taking Emily by the hand to walk her out to the car.

********

It had been a long day and Bridget wanted nothing more than for it to be over. The only highlight had been hearing about her niece’s day, and having dinner with the young girl and Franky. On the drive home, Emily had talked non-stop about everything she had learned and how much she liked cooking with the tall brunette. Bridget was glad that her instincts had been correct when she had decided to sign her up for the class.

They had arrived home and she was putting the leftovers into the fridge when she noticed a small piece of paper fall out of the bag. She bent over and picked it up, unfolding it. On it, Franky had written her number along with a short note: _“In case of another sandwich-related emergency.”_ Bridget couldn’t help but smile.

The house was quiet now, Bridget having put Emily to bed after her bath. She poured herself a glass of wine and sat down with her phone and the note. She typed in Franky’s number and saved it to her contact list. She stared at the phone, contemplating sending the brunette a quick message. But no, Bridget Westfall had never and would never appear too eager or show too much of her hand too soon. She would get to see Franky again in a couple of days, after Em’s next class. She told herself she could wait until then, but in reality, she knew she probably wouldn’t.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, Bridget sat down in the lunchroom with the leftovers that Franky had given her the night before, and was joined by Vera.

“Bridget, I’m really sorry about yesterday. I know I probably put you in a bad position, but I couldn’t risk anything happening to you, to any of my staff, and it had just been such a crazy, unpredictable day.” Vera had seen how tired Bridget had been, and knew that on top of everything at work, she was also trying to juggle looking after her niece. Even though she knew she made the right decision by making her stay, she still felt bad for adding to her friend’s stress.

“No, no it’s fine, really. I know you were just trying to look out for everyone, and I was just thinking about trying to pick Emily up on time.” Bridget smiled at Vera and patted her hand that was resting on the table in an effort to reassure her that she understood the governor’s actions from the day before. In reality, the blonde thought she should probably be thanking Vera. If not for her having to stay late, she would have never gotten to meet the tall brunette, who had been on her mind since she’d woken up that morning.

Vera gave a small smile in return, and decided to move on from the topic. “That looks amazing. Where did you order it from?” She asked, nodding towards the other woman’s lunch.

Bridget gave a mock gasp and pretended to act offended. “You just assume that since it looks so good that I couldn’t possibly have made it myself?”

“We both know you didn’t.” the governor stated trying to remain serious, but failing.

The blonde gave a small laugh. “Well, yesterday, when I knew I wasn’t going to be able to pick up Em on time, I called the centre to let them know. The woman who teaches the class said she could stay and look after her.” Bridget knew she was smiling when she talked about Franky. “When I got there, they had made this together, and we ended up staying and having supper there with her.” The blonde finally glanced up and caught the large smile on Vera’s face. “What? What’s that look for?”

“What look? Nothing! It’s just…” The small brunette said quickly then trailed off.

Bridget narrowed her eyes slightly. “It’s just what?”

“You sound happy when you talk about her. It’s nice. I haven’t seen that from you in a long time.”

“Yeah, she seems nice.” Bridget tried to act casual but she and Vera had been friends for too long for her to be fooled.

“Nice? Bridget, come on. I can tell it’s more than you just thinking she’s nice.” The governor tilted her head to the side and raised her eyebrows holding Bridget’s gaze with her own, waiting for her to agree.

“Yeah, I guess. Maybe you’re right.” Bridget admitted.

“So when are you going to see her again?”

“Vera! Let’s just eat lunch, okay?” Bridget laughed. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk about Franky, or think about Franky, but she just wasn’t ready to discuss everything with her friend right now. She wanted to keep the details to herself.

The two friends spent the rest of their break eating and having easy, casual conversation then parted to go about the rest of their day.

********

The next couple of days passed without Franky hearing from the blonde, and she thought that maybe she had misread her cues that night. Currently, she was at the centre prepping for that night’s class. It wasn’t the one she wished it was though. She wished it was the one where she would get to see Bridget when she picked up her niece. She was lost in her thoughts when she heard the door at the side of the room open. Looking over, she saw Kim walking towards her.

“Hey, Kim,” Franky said casually, returning to her work.

“Hey? Really? You cancel on me then I hear nothing from you, and all I get is a ‘hey’?” Franky let out a sigh and prepared herself for what she knew was coming. She had been avoiding Kim ever since that evening. She had left numerous texts and missed calls on Franky’s phone, but the brunette couldn’t bring herself to let the girl down.

“You’re right, I’m sorry I had to cancel on you, but I told you what happened with the kid.”

“Yeah, you did, but I still shouldn’t have had to come looking for you.” Kim softened a little, but was still obviously upset. “So, are we still doing this or what?”

Franky could give Kim credit for one thing, she got right to the point. “Uh, actually, I don’t think it’s a good idea anymore.”

“What?” Any points Franky had earned with her earlier apology suddenly evaporated, and she could feel the other woman’s anger returning fast and furious.

“Kim, listen. I had fun with you that night, I did. But that was all it was. I don’t see us going any further than that.” Franky tried to be as honest and sincere as she could. She knew that the woman standing in front of her wasn’t the one she wanted, and she also didn’t feel like she owed her a huge explanation. They had seen each other around at different bars a few times and eventually ended up hooking up in the restroom one night. Franky wasn’t looking for anything serious, and she didn’t think Kim was either, so when the woman suggested they hang out again, Franky thought ‘why not?’, expecting it to maybe turn into a casual once in awhile hook up thing. But that was before Bridget. She knew that maybe she was stupid to be giving up a sure thing, no matter how small, in favor of something that she had no idea if she was even on the right track with, but she’d deal with the consequences later if she was wrong.

“So that’s all it was then? A fuck ‘em and forget ‘em thing?” Kim’s voice was raised, and Franky could see the first few people start to make their way into the centre.

“Kim, please, you know it wasn’t like that. We can talk about it later if you want, but right now I need you to leave. We can’t be doing this,” she waved her hand between the two of them, “when my students start to show up, alright?”

Kim scoffed and turned to leave. “We’re not done yet though.” She said as she left.

Franky blew out a breath in a big sigh and looked up at the ceiling. She should have known better. Her friends had all tried to warn her not to get involved with Kim in any way, and Franky knew what the woman’s reputation was like, but she was in the habit of making bad decisions, and clearly this had become one of them.

********

That night, as Bridget was getting ready for bed, her thoughts once again drifted to the green-eyed woman that had been occupying most of her headspace recently. Laying down in bed, she reached for her phone and opened up her contact list. She scrolled down to find the number she had added the other day and hesitated, her finger hovering over the name. “Fuck it.” She mumbled and made the call. It rang 4 times, and she was just about to hang up when she heard a sleepy “Hello?” on the other end of the line.

“Franky? It’s Bridget.”

“Oh, hey, Gidge.”

“Did I wake you? I know it’s a bit late to be calling.” She heard the brunette chuckle on the other end of the line.

“Well, yes, but I think I’d fallen asleep on the couch, so you probably just saved me from a sore back in the morning. So, to what do I owe this pleasure?”

Bridget hadn’t realized until this moment that she didn’t really have a reason to be calling Franky, especially at this hour. Her brain raced to try to come up with something believable. “Well, I uh, think I need some expert advice.”

“Is that so?” Bridget could hear a flirty tone creep into the other woman’s voice.

“Yeah, see, tomorrow, I’m thinking that I might mix it up and make a ham sandwich to send with Em instead of turkey, and I was just wondering, what are the rules for cheese placement in that case?”

Franky knew this had nothing to do with a goddamn sandwich, but she was willing to play along. “On top Gidge, always on top.”

“Always on top? Is that a thing that everyone knows or….?”

“Well I don’t know if everyone knows, but in my personal opinion, it’s better on top.” There was silence on the other end, and Franky thought for a second that maybe the blonde really was just asking for advice on sandwiches.

“Well, I think that’s a matter of opinion, but maybe we can debate it another time.” There was a playful tone in the older woman’s voice. A short pause and then “It’s late, I should let you go.”

“Yeah……I’ll see you tomorrow though? After Emily’s class?” Franky asked.

“Definitely. I promise I won’t make you play babysitter again.”

“It was nothing Gidge, she’s a great kid. Now get some sleep, okay?”

After they both said their goodbyes, Bridget put her phone back on the table beside her bed. Maybe Vera was right, she deserved something good, and even if her attraction to Franky had taken her by surprise, there was no reason why she shouldn’t see it through.

********

On the other side of the city, Franky settled herself into bed and laid there thinking about the phone call she’d just had, and the fact that she’d get to see the blonde again tomorrow. She was both excited and scared. Her fear and excitement were both caused by the same thing: this beautiful, sophisticated woman had at least some type of feelings for her.

Franky pictured the blonde in a beautiful, large house in a nice part of the city. She was a professional and obviously had some family, who she was close with. Franky was struggling for everything she had, having grown up poor with just her abusive mother to look after her. If one could call what she did “looking after”. She mostly got high or drunk and brought home strange men at all hours of the night, leaving a young Franky to look after herself. If Franky dared to ask her mother for anything, she was met with a slap or a cigarette burn on her stomach. The brunette tried to push those thoughts away and focus on her life as it is now. She hadn’t always made the best or smartest choices, but she’d worked hard to get where she was, and she knew that she had at least that to be proud of. She also knew that she was going to have to make sure that she didn’t somehow fuck up this thing with Bridget.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

“I know what that smile means.” Vera took a seat at the lunch table across from Bridget.

“Hmm?” Bridget had been lost in her own world, thinking about how the day seemed to be crawling by at a snail’s pace. “I wasn’t smiling.”

“You were. You were thinking about the woman from dinner the other night?” Vera gave a soft smile, trying to coax her friend to open up.

The blonde sighed and sat her fork down on her plate. “Okay, maybe I was. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just keep thinking about her, and replaying everything in my mind. I know it was just one dinner and a phone call, but still ...she probably only asked us to stay because Em said she was hungry.”

“Bridget, there’s nothing _wrong_ with you. You like her and you’re curious ...wait a minute…you two talked on the phone? When?” It took a second for the governor to process what her friend had said, but now that she understood, she wanted to know the whole story.

“Last night. She had slipped her number into the bag of food she gave me the other night.” Bridget looked up at Vera who was waiting for her to continue. “I put it in my phone and looked at it for the past two nights and then last night I just said ‘fuck it’, literally, and called her.”

“And….” Vera wasn’t about to let her stop there.

“And we talked for a minute, and then I said I’d see her today after Em’s class. It was late and I woke her up.” Bridget winced thinking about how she regretted the fact that she had called Franky so late that night. The brunette didn’t seem to care, but it was just so unlike Bridget to do something impulsive like that.

“So, what’s the plan here going forward?” Vera continued eating her lunch, trying to get more details out of her friend. The blonde shrugged and the governor continued. “Bridget. Just ask her out before I have to do it for you.” 

The blonde gave a small chuckle knowing that in no universe would Vera ever have the guts to do that, but she appreciated that her friend wanted what was best for her.

********

“Alright, hey, everyone’s eyes up here,” Franky was just beginning the afternoon children’s class, and she was pleased to see that Emily was in attendance as it meant she’d get to see Bridget later. “Can anyone guess what we’re making today?”

“Pizza!” Every child in the class yelled out excitedly.

“Right on! Not just any kind of pizza though, we’re making Margherita Pizza!” She had chosen this particular recipe because it was easy to make and had ingredients she figured all of the kids would like. She went on to demonstrate how to make the dough, and stretch it into the perfect shape and how to prepare the toppings.

After she was done teaching, the brunette walked between the cooking stations, giving advice and help to the kids. She could overhear Liz talking with Emily. She had made sure that she was paired with the older woman again.

“Emily love, slow down there a bit. You don’t want to be rushing when you’re chopping the basil. You don’t want to hurt yourself.” Liz gently reminded the young girl. Although the knives they let the children use weren’t as sharp as most kitchen knives, they were still sharp enough to be dangerous if used carelessly.

“Don’t worry, Franky showed me how to do this the other night.” The little blonde replied.

Just then Franky heard a small yelp, and Emily started to cry. She turned and rushed over to see the child holding onto her left hand. She could see some blood running down her finger. She quickly grabbed a clean towel and knelt down in front of her, “Hey, hey Em, look at me.” The young girl was starting to hyperventilate from crying so hard, and Franky knew she had to get her to calm down so she could look at her hand. “Look at me!” She put her hand on the girl’s cheek and gently made her turn to look her in the eye. “I need you to breathe like me, okay?” Franky took a slow deep breath in, and then let it out slowly, repeating it a couple of times until Emily was in sync with her. “Good. Good. Okay, I need to look at your hand now so I need you to let go of it, alright?”

“No! It hurts!” The girl was threatening to break into a panic once again.

“I know, I know it does but I’ll be quick, okay? And I’ll get it bandaged up and it’ll feel better.” Franky silently prayed to herself that a bandage would be enough, and there wouldn’t be a need for a trip to the hospital.

Emily eventually nodded, and removed her hand. Franky could see a cut about two centimetres long on the side of the girl’s index finger. It didn’t look deep and it seemed like the bleeding had almost stopped. Franky placed the towel over it and stood up.

“Let’s go clean that up and get it covered.” She placed her hand on the girl’s back, and guided her toward the office just off the kitchen.

The office was fairly large. There was a medium sized desk and chair along one side, and on the other side was a couch and coffee table.

“Sit on the couch okay? I need to get the first aid kit.” Emily sat down and waited for Franky to retrieve the kit out of one of the cupboards along the back wall. Kit in hand, she sat down on the coffee table facing the young girl, opened it, and set it beside her on the table. She got out some gauze and a small bottle of sterile water. “First I’m going to wash the cut off. I won’t lie, it might sting a bit but I can tell you’re brave, yeah?” The girl nodded. “Then I’m going to put some of this cream on it,” She held up a small tube of antibiotic cream. “And then cover it with a bandage.” She laid everything out on the table beside her so the smaller blonde could see the items.

It only took Franky a few minutes to clean and bandage the finger and she was impressed with how well the young girl handled it. There were a few more tears, but nothing like her initial reaction out in the kitchen. “I need to call your Aunt and let her know what happened. Do you want to go back out and finish the class?” The girl kept her eyes on the floor and shook her head. “Are you sure? Liz and everyone is out there and I’ll be back as soon as I make a quick call.” Another shake of her head. Franky sighed, “Okay, just give me a minute.”

She got her phone from her bag that was hanging by the door and found Bridget’s number. She hoped that she was allowed to have her phone with her in the prison. She answered on the second ring.

“Hello.”

“Hey Gidge.” Franky was trying to sound casual. She knew the older woman was aware that she should still be teaching Emily’s class and she didn’t want her to think something bad had happened. “Uh, I just wanted to let you know that everything is okay now, but there was a little accident, and Emily cut herself with one of the knives. It’s just on her finger and I’ve got it all cleaned and bandaged.”

“Is she okay? I can come pick her up.” Franky could hear the blonde starting to move around and it sounded like she was gathering up papers quickly.

“Yeah, yeah, she’s fine. Why don’t you talk to her? She’s right here. I asked if she wanted to go back out to class but she says no.” The brunette hoped that by hearing her aunt’s comforting voice, she might feel well enough to finish up the rest of the day with her class.

“Yeah, okay, yeah, put her on.”

She handed her mobile to the little girl.

“Auntie Bridge, my finger really hurts…….No, Franky made it feel a lot better but it still hurts and I don’t want to go back out there…..okay.” She held the phone out for the tall brunette to take back.

Franky put her phone back to her ear. She had only heard Emily’s side of the conversation, but she knew that whatever Bridget said hadn’t convinced her niece to leave the office.

“I’m really sorry about this.” Franky told the older woman. She genuinely felt bad that the little girl’s day had been ruined.

“It’s not your fault, Franky.” Bridget sounded tired again. “I’m going to come pick her up though. I think she’s done for today.”

“Okay, yeah sure. I’ll see you in a bit.”

Just as Franky hung up the phone, Boomer appeared in the office doorway carrying a plate with fresh, hot pizza on it.

“Heya, I brought ya this. I thought maybe it might help cheer ya up since I knows pizza always makes me happy.” Boomer sat the plate down on the coffee table in front of the girl.

“Thanks.” The girl’s voice was small, but she was always taught to be polite.

“Right, well, I better get back out there.” Boomer turned to leave and Franky caught her arm on her way by.

“Thanks, Booms.”

“Eh, no problem. She’s a sweet little bub, hate to see her upset.” Boomer said looking back at the girl.

Franky nodded as Boomer left. It was once again just her and Emily in the office. She sat down beside the small girl.

“That pizza looks good, huh?”

The small blonde just shook her head and moved to sit beside Franky so that she could lean against her and rest her head on her arm. It was clear that she didn’t want to talk so Franky sat there with her in silence and waited for Bridget to show up.

By the time Bridget arrived, the last of the students were on their way out. She had left as soon as she ended the phone call but had gotten held up on the highway in traffic. As she approached the office door, she saw that Emily was fast asleep against Franky and the brunette was staring down at her own hands, fixated with the silver ring she was spinning on her finger. She looked up when she noticed Bridget standing in the doorway and gently moved away from the girl, guiding her down carefully to lay on the couch while she went to talk with the older woman.

They were now in the main kitchen of the classroom, which was empty. The tall brunette leaned against the wall and let out a sigh.

“Gidge, this is my fault….” Franky remembered what she had heard the girl say right before it happened.

“Franky,” Bridget stepped in front of her so that she was forced to meet her eye. Her voice was soft, caring, “How could this be your fault?”

“Right before she cut herself, I heard Liz telling her to slow down and be more careful and Emily didn’t listen because she said I had already showed her how to do it the other night when she was helping me, and it’s true, I did. If I hadn’t done that, maybe she would have been more careful.” She looked into the blonde’s blue eyes and waited for her to say something, waited for her to agree and say this was all Franky’s fault; waited for her to be mad.

“Did you never cut yourself when you were learning to cook? Or get a burn?” There was no anger, no blame in the other woman’s questions.

Franky felt a bit of relief come over her, “Gidge, I still do that now.” She laughed and heard the blonde do the same.

“See,” Bridget continued, “it’s all a part of learning, of life.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“You’re good with her, you know? I watched you two the other night when I first got here. You were cute.” The blonde smiled, looking into Franky’s eyes and noticing for the first time just how green they were.

“I’m cute, am I?” The confident, bold Franky was slowly returning, and she wasn’t about to let a comment like that pass by unnoticed.

“Well, I meant in that situation but maybe, yeah.”

Franky had pushed herself away from the wall as the blonde spoke so they now stood only a couple of inches apart. “Just maybe?” The brunette wore her signature smirk and Bridget felt her pulse quicken as green eyes locked with hers.

Franky reached up and cupped the blonde’s cheek with her right hand, running her thumb along the older woman’s bottom lip. She heard a small, shaky exhale of breath as Bridget leaned into her touch. The brunette dipped her head down slightly and moved forward, pausing just a hair from the other woman’s lips to give her the chance to protest. Sensing no hesitation, she closed the gap between them. Bridget’s arms immediately wrapped around Franky’s neck and she deepened the kiss. With one of the brunette’s strong arms around her back holding her close, and the hand that had been cupping her face moving to play gently with the hair on the back of her neck, Bridget felt a fire ignite inside her. She wanted it to stay forever and she didn’t care how much it burned her. She was seconds away from being totally lost in all that was Franky when she remembered that they weren’t alone.

“Mmmm, Franky, wait ...wait,” she pulled away leaving a slightly confused and panting woman looking at her. “We need to stop.”

“Shit, I’m sorry Gidge.” Franky started to pull away from her but Bridget held on tight, not letting her move back.

“No, no sorries, it’s just Em.” The blonde trailed off and Franky suddenly remembered the small child who was asleep in her office. “I should take her home.”

“Yeah, yeah of course. I’ll carry her out for you.” Franky offered. Bridget gave her another quick kiss and started to gather the girl’s things while Franky made her way to the office and returned with the still sleeping girl in her arms.

After Emily was settled in the car, Franky pulled Bridget towards her for one last kiss. “Have dinner with me tomorrow night?”

Bridget glanced to the child sleeping in the back seat of the car. “I don’t know. I really want to, but it’s just not a good time for me right now.”

The brunette remembered back to earlier in the week when Bridget had no one to send in her place to pick up her niece. “Oh, yeah no worries.” She gave a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. She was disappointed, but she understood that the child came first in Bridget’s life.

“You know what, let me see if I can figure something out and I’ll let you know tomorrow afternoon okay?” Bridget had only one option, and she hoped it would pan out for her.

Franky nodded and smiled and they said their goodbyes. Bridget got into her car and headed home with Emily while Franky headed back into the building to gather her things.

********

When Bridget got home she made a quick phone call to her friend to ask if she could look after Emily for the evening the next day. Vera was more than happy to help out, and was even more pleased when she learned that the reason the blonde was asking for this favour was so she could have dinner with Franky.

Bridget hung up and sent Franky a text:

_To: Franky  
I’m in for tomorrow night. My friend, Vera is going to watch Emily for me._

Just mere seconds later she felt her phone vibrate as she received a reply.

_To: Gidget  
Can’t wait! Meet me at 6 and also bring something comfortable to change into after dinner ;) _

Along with Franky’s text, Bridget also got a link through her map app to an address that she assumed, judging by the location, was Franky’s apartment, as she was aware that area was completely residential. The “bring something comfortable” had her a bit thrown off, but she was willing to go along with whatever the brunette had planned.


	5. Chapter 5

Franky had briefly thought of taking Bridget out for a night in town at a fancy restaurant, but then decided that she wanted nothing more than to cook for her again. It was what the brunette loved to do; what she was good at, and she remembered the look on the older woman’s face when she first tasted the lasagna she and Emily had made a few nights ago.

Tonight, she had gone for a classic, but simple, meal that she hoped the blonde would love just as much as the previous one. She had prepared an assortment of cheeses and fruits for them to have as an appetizer. The main course would be parmesan chicken with a Caesar salad, and then for dessert, creme brûlée. All of the courses were paired with complementary wines. She was just putting the finishing touches to the table when there was a knock on the door.

When she opened it, the sight of the woman standing there took her breath away. Bridget was dressed in a classic “little black dress” that hugged her curves in all the right places and dipped low in the front and back to show off just a hint of cleavage and the toned muscles of her back. Her hair was up with just a few strands falling to either side of her face.

“You look beautiful Gidge.” Franky would have normally made some kind of a flirty comment about how the dress looked good, but would look even better on the floor later, but all that would come out was the simple, honest compliment. The brunette realized at this point that maybe she was getting herself into more than she had bargained for. There had always been plenty of women in her life, some she had dated, and some she just fucked, but she had a feeling this one would be different. Maybe the flirty comment wouldn’t come out because her heart knew that wasn’t what she wanted. This woman in front of her deserved more than she was usually willing to give, but for some reason, this time, she thought she might be okay with that.

“So do you.” The blonde said, moving past Franky into the apartment. The brunette had opted for simple, tight black pants with a white blouse and black blazer. “Your place is lovely too.”

Franky’s apartment was small, but open; an industrial style loft. It had a clean and modern design with an open living area, and a bedroom and bathroom off toward one end. It looked especially neat and tidy today as she had spent most of the time, when she wasn’t cooking, making sure that everything was perfect for when Bridget arrived.

“Thanks,” Franky closed the door and walked to the kitchen to get the appetizers and poured them each a glass of wine. “I hope it’s okay, but I thought we could eat here instead of going out. I wanted to cook for you again.”

“That’s definitely more than okay,” The blonde took the glass Franky held out to her and followed her over to sit on the couch. “I’ve been thinking about your food ever since the last time.”

“Just my food?” The brunette gave a playful smile and raised one eyebrow.

Bridget took a sip of her wine and pretended to think for a moment. Franky leaned over and brushed her lips ever so gently against the blonde’s then pulled away. For a second the older woman started to move forward to continue the kiss, but quickly realized that Franky had never intended for it to be more than a tease, and she had played right into her hand. Two could play this game.

“Yeah, pretty sure I only thought about the food.”

Bridget had a playful grin on her face, and Franky knew that the blonde’s actions had spoken volumes louder than her words. “You’re a shit liar Gidge, but I’ll let you have that one, for now,” she chuckled.

Their dinner passed with easy conversation, and Bridget declaring that everything she tasted was “the best she’d ever had”.

As they were clearing off the table, Franky asked, “So, did you bring something to change into?”

“Yes,” Bridget eyed her carefully, sipping the last of her wine. “I have to say though, I’ve never had a date ask me to bring extra clothes before.”

“You’ve never been on a date with me before.” The brunette winked at her. “I’ll finish up here.” Franky tipped her head toward the bathroom. “Why don’t you go to the bathroom and change?”

The blonde grabbed the bag she had brought with her and headed off to the other end of the apartment. Franky put the last of the dishes into the dishwasher and went to her bedroom to change. She opted for a v-neck tee shirt and loose-fitting trackies. When she was done, she went back out into the living room and looked through her selection of board games. Her original plan had been for them to watch a movie, but after that moment of realization when she greeted Bridget at the door, she decided that may not be the best idea. She wanted something easy and fun but that maybe would lead to a good conversation. She eventually decided on “The Game of LIFE”. It may be more of a kid’s game but she didn’t want anything that was going to turn too competitive and ruin the mood.

Bridget exited the bathroom, wearing a fitted tee and what looked to be yoga pants while Franky was in the middle of setting up the game on the coffee table. When she caught sight of the blonde, she wondered if it was possible for the woman to look bad in anything. While “little black dress Bridget” had been stunning, there was something about “casual Bridget” that was oh so sexy on a different level. The older woman noticed the brunette’s eyes lingering on her and a small blush crept into her cheeks. She took a seat on the floor beside Franky on the plush rug that covered most of what would be considered the living room, and leaned back against the couch.

“A board game?” Bridget’s mind had ran through a lot of possibilities since she had received Franky’s text message last night, but this wasn’t one of them.

“Is that okay?” While Franky was normally confident, she knew that she was going out on a bit of a limb here.

“Yeah, just unexpected.” Sensing Franky’s apprehension, the blonde smiled in an attempt to put her at ease and leaned in, giving her a quick kiss on the lips.

Bridget chose the yellow car while Franky chose green and they began the game. The blonde opted to go to university, while the younger woman decided to start her career and drew the “Entertainer” card.

“I think that would suit you.”

“How do you reckon?” Franky was genuinely curious as to what had led the blonde to that conclusion.

“Because you like entertaining people. You chose to have me here tonight instead of taking me out and letting someone else do the work of preparing our meal. You make people notice you. Em talks non-stop about your classes. Franky said this today, Franky said that today; you’ve definitely captured her attention.”

The brunette wasn’t used to being on the receiving end of any type of praise or compliments. Her mother had constantly told her how bad she was, how she was worthless and wouldn’t amount to anything, that she was unlovable, and that’s why her father had left her.

“Being a chef isn’t like being an entertainer. I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing anything like that.” Franky pointed to the man and woman drawn on the card. They were both dressed in fancy clothes and had the biggest, cheesiest smiles plastered on their faces.

Bridget let out a laugh that vibrated through the apartment. “You could always be one of those celebrity chefs like on TV?” Franky winced at the comment, and the blonde realized that she had unintentionally struck a nerve in the younger woman. “Franky? You okay?”

Franky looked up to see that the blonde had turned serious, and was waiting for her to answer. “Yeah, yeah Gidge, all good. It’s just that I’ve kind of had my experience in that area, and let’s just say, I didn’t like what I saw.”

“Oh?” The older woman left the question open so that it was up to the brunette whether she wanted to continue or not.

“After culinary school, I signed up for this TV show. It was like the Australian version of those shows with the angry British chef. The one here was run by Mike Pennisi. Don’t know if you’ve heard of him but he’s a big deal in the culinary world. Anyway, the guy was such a dickhead that it fell apart before it ever got to air, and I said I’d never be a part of something like that again.” She kept her eyes down, focusing on the ring she was playing with on her finger.

The part that Franky had left out was that she was the reason it had fallen apart. Pennisi had pushed and belittled and berated her in front of everyone day after day. Not because her cooking wasn’t up to par, but because he knew he could push her buttons, and he thought it would make for good ratings. Every time he started at her, all she could see was her mother saying the exact same things to her as a child. One day, he went too far. She knew her dish was good, but as soon as he had put the first bite into his mouth, he turned and spit it onto the floor. She could still hear his words as clearly as if he was standing there saying them all over again; “I wouldn’t feed this to my dog Francesca! Even if I did, he’d probably have enough sense not to eat it!” At that point she had stopped thinking and drew back her right fist. She hit him with as much force as she possibly could, and when she realized he was still standing, she hit him again, and again and then a fourth and final time, even though by that point he was lying on the floor.

She was lucky, even though it had gone on her record. She had gotten off with a fine and some community service since there were so many witnesses who gave statements saying that Mike had been emotionally abusive and manipulative toward many of the contestants and crew members. In the end, the network decided to just scrap the whole show and give each contestant (except Franky) a payout rather than risk getting dragged into something messy.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that, but maybe it was for the best in the end.” Franky turned to the blonde with a questioning look. “I think you found your calling when you chose to teach. You’re inspiring a lot of young minds.”

“Thanks Gidge,” Franky gave a small smile. “Pick your card.”

“Police officer,” The blonde said, reading her card.

Franky laughed, “Well that definitely fits since you work at the prison.”

“I’m not a cop or an officer, baby.” The brunette couldn’t help but notice the ease with which the nickname came out of the older woman’s mouth. “Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t have a sexy uniform or handcuffs.”

Franky’s jaw dropped slightly for a second before she righted herself and mumbled, “Handcuffs can be bought.” She cleared her throat. “So what do you do there then?”

“I’m a psychologist.”

“Aw, shit. And here I am just spilling all my stories to you without even making you work for them. I bet you’re working on analyzing me right now.” The brunette tried to make her comments sound light, but she had to admit she was now feeling overexposed, and was wishing that she hadn’t been so open a few minutes ago.

“I’m not here as a therapist.” The blonde gave a warm smile.

“What, so you mean your counselling sessions don’t normally involve your clients cooking you dinner in their homes, and then asking you to play a game?”

“Not normally, no. I only do that with the tall, hot ones.”

Franky reached over and playfully shoved Bridget’s shoulder, and Bridget returned the gesture and giggled. “Your turn there, tall, hot one.”

They played through the game, both getting married and collecting kids, houses, pets and money along the way. When it came time to end the game or “retire” as it was referred to, Bridget chose ‘Countryside Acres’ effectively letting Franky win the game since she judged that the brunette had accumulated a much larger pile of cash than she had. When it came time for Franky to choose her retirement spot, she also chose ‘Countryside Acres’.

“Baby, what are you doing?” The blonde questioned.

“Moving into the old folks home with you, what does it look like?” Franky grinned.

“But you could go to ‘Millionaire Estates’ and win. You have way more money than me.”

“Yeah but I’d be there alone. What would we do, sit and look at each other from our opposite porches but never actually be together? I’d rather have you beside me in our rocking chairs than be a millionaire.” With that she cleared her money, LIFE tiles and stock papers off the table and into the box with a swipe of her arm, and quickly did the same with Bridget’s. “See? All good.” She said smiling and pointing to their two tokens together at the end point of the game.

Bridget had a look of shock on her face for a moment, but then let out a laugh. She turned serious however, when she turned and caught the look in the brunette’s eyes. Slowly, Franky reached over and placed her hand against Bridget’s cheek. It was the same touch she had used in the kitchen a few nights ago. It was so light and gentle, and yet it sent shockwaves through the older woman’s body. The brunette leaned in and kissed her, slowly at first, and then with more intensity. The older woman moved to straddle Franky’s lap, and wrapped her arms around her neck.

The brunette wanted to touch every inch of her; wanted to memorize it. She ran her hands from the older woman’s hips down her thighs and then back up again feeling how the muscles quivered and flexed under her touch thanks to the thin fabric of the blonde’s pants. She grabbed Bridget’s hips and pulled her down into her lap further causing the blonde to moan at the increased friction, and gently nip at Franky’s bottom lip. Her fingers danced at the hem of Bridget’s shirt, dipping underneath once in awhile to touch bare skin.

“Take it off.” Bridget murmured against Franky’s lips when she felt her once again move her hand ever so slightly under her fitted tee.

Franky slowed down the kiss. She knew where this would go if she didn’t, and she didn’t want to do this here right now, not like this. She knew Bridget couldn’t stay the night, and she didn’t want their first time to be a quick fuck on the floor before the blonde had to leave. What she wanted, what the older woman deserved, was to be worshipped, again and again, with no time limits in place. She pulled back and looked at the blonde, and saw her blue eyes had darkened and her chest was rising and falling quickly. Franky reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind the other woman’s ear that had fallen, and Bridget leaned her head into the touch of the younger woman’s fingers, their eyes never leaving each other.

“You okay, baby?” The blonde asked after a few seconds.

“Yeah, I am.” Franky ran her hand down the side of Bridget’s neck and continued down her arm until she finally laced their fingers together.

“Tell me what you’re thinking.” The blonde urged when Franky remained quiet. The younger woman looked up at her again. She had seen her share of therapists in her lifetime that had pushed and prodded her, trying to make her open up and talk to them. She had almost always refused to say much, and her first instinct was to shake her head and move on to a different topic, but something made her stop. Bridget wasn’t one of those therapists, she reminded herself. She was just someone trying to connect with her.

“I’m thinking that I don’t want our first time to happen here, on the floor, in the few minutes before you have to go home.” She was never one to be overly open with her feelings, but something made her trust Bridget.

“Oh, baby.” The blonde leaned in and gave Franky a soft kiss. “We don’t have to do anything that we’re not both on board with.”

The brunette let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, “It’s not that I don’t want to, because I really fucking want to,” both her and Bridget laughed, “it’s just that I want more than what can happen right now.”

“I know, baby. I know.”

They sat together sharing small kisses and touches. Once, Franky let her lips venture across Bridget’s jaw and they found the soft spot below her ear. The blonde took in a sharp breath, and Franky felt a slight shiver go through the smaller woman.

“I found your spot.” The blonde felt her grin against her neck.

“One of many.” Bridget pulled back and winked at the younger woman with a playful smile on her face. She glanced over to the clock. “I really should be going now, even though I hate to.”

“I know.” Franky was a bit sad, but she knew this was what had to happen.

“Vera will want to get home, and Emily will be upset if she wakes up during the night and I’m not the one there with her.”

“Gidge, you don’t have to explain. It’s all good.” With that, they got up off the floor, and Bridget began gathering her things so that she could leave.

Standing at the door, she leaned in and gave Franky a long, slow goodbye kiss. “I’ll call you later.”

“You’d better.” Franky gave her a cheeky grin, and with that Bridget headed down the hallway and out of the building. She paid almost no attention to the woman she passed on her way out.

A few seconds later, Franky heard a knock on the door of her apartment.

“Ay Gidge, did you forget something?” She asked swinging the door open with a big smile on her face. The woman standing at the door wasn’t Bridget, but Kim. “What do you want?”

“Is that why you called everything off with me?” Kim yelled, pointing down the hall in the direction that Bridget had left.

Normally, Franky would have tried to spare the girl’s feelings. While she was never one to get attached, until now, she certainly understood that that wasn’t the case with everyone, and tried to cause as little pain as possible. With Kim however, she’d tried that already, and it clearly didn’t get through to her, so she decided to be blunt.

“Actually, yeah it is.”

“You fucking bitch! Were you screwing her when we fucked?” Kim’s voice was getting louder and Franky was worried that she’d start attracting the attention of her neighbours. Just then, she saw Mrs, Watson stick her head out into the hallway to see what was going on.

“Kim, stop. You need to leave now. We’re done and nothing will change that.” Franky tried to close the door, but Kim pushed it hard enough that she stumbled back a few steps, and the angry woman took that as her opportunity to enter the apartment.

She looked around, surveying the kitchen, seeing the empty wine glasses still sitting on the counter, and the board game box on the coffee table. “Oh how fucking romantic.” She grabbed one of the wine glasses and threw it at Franky who ducked just in time for it to fly past her head and shatter against the wall. It was quickly followed by the second glass. It hit the wall with enough force that one of the larger, broken pieces slid back across the floor stopping about a foot in front of Kim. She bent down to pick it up intending to launch it at Franky again, when the brunette rushed forward and grabbed her wrist.

“Drop it.” She was boiling mad inside, but she was trying to remain calm and just get Kim out of her apartment as quickly as possible.

“Fuck you.” Kim spat back at her and struggled against her grip.

“Fucking drop it now and get the fuck out or I’m calling the cops.” She knew Kim had been in a bit of trouble recently, and having the cops called would be the last thing she’d want. She let the piece of glass drop to the floor and Franky noticed that it had cut into her hand while she was holding it. “Fucking hell Kim.”

She walked over to the kitchen, bringing Kim with her. She wasn’t letting go of her until she was on her way out of the apartment.

“Here.” The brunette handed her a towel from the kitchen to wrap her hand in, and then walked her to the door. She guided her out into the hall. “I don’t want to see or hear from you anymore.”

“Fuck you.” Kim threw the bloody towel back at Franky, and the brunette caught it and slammed the door, not giving the other woman the chance to say anything more.

********

Bridget arrived home to find that Vera had had a lovely evening with Emily. They had watched one of the new Disney movies that had just come out, and then Emily had gone to bed and fallen asleep easily.

“So how was your date?” Vera asked her friend.

“It was good.” Bridget smiled, thinking back to not that long ago. “It was really good.”

“Well, you did come home in different clothes.” The small brunette raised her eyebrows and grinned at Bridget.

“Oh! No, no, nothing like that. We just had dinner and talked. It was the best date I’ve been on in a long time.”

“Well, I can look after Emily whenever you want.”

Bridget knew that her friend didn’t have any children of her own or young nieces or nephews, and she had met Emily enough times that the child loved spending time with her.

“I’ll definitely be taking you up on that. I got an email from Tim earlier today. It looks like he may be extending his business trip for another month.”

“Is she going to be okay with that?” Vera nodded her head toward the room down the hall where Emily was sleeping.

“Oh, yeah, she’ll be fine as long as she’s staying with me, which of course she will be. And she adores Franky.”

“I’m glad it’s all working out. I need to head out now though. I have to put in some overtime tomorrow before Channing’s visit next week.” Vera walked towards the door and put on her coat.

“Thanks again, I really do appreciate it.”

“Anytime.” Vera gave Bridget a quick hug and left the house.

The blonde locked the door behind her friend and went through the house, turning off the lights on her way to her bedroom.

Once inside, she changed into a singlet and a clean pair of underwear. She crawled under the covers, and remembered her promise to call Franky later. She picked up her phone off the bedside table and quickly found the number she was looking for. She tapped her finger on Franky’s name and put the phone to her ear, waiting for the other woman to answer.

********

Franky went about cleaning up the mess that Kim had made. She swept up the glass and placed it in the garbage can, and was in the process of putting away the board game that she and Bridget had played and starting the dishwasher. She picked up the towel Kim had thrown at her just as her phone rang. Her face lit up when she saw the name on the display.

“Hey Gidge.”

“Hey, baby.” Bridget thought that she could hear something off in Franky’s voice but then decided that maybe the other woman was just tired.

“What are you up to?”

“Not a lot. Vera just left and now I’m in bed.”

Franky smiled to herself. “Is that so?”

“Mmhmm. I had a really good time tonight.”

Franky could hear the smile in the other woman’s voice. “It’s always a good time with me, babe.”

“Mmm” Bridget hummed, thinking of some other good times she wanted to have with the brunette. She had been more than willing to stop when she realized that was what Franky wanted, but her body was still on fire from earlier, and talking to Franky again was stoking the embers inside her. Thinking of everything she wanted to do and have done to her, she began drawing small circles on her stomach over the thin fabric of her shirt. After a few moments of being lost in her thoughts, Franky’s voice pulled her back to the present.

“Gidge?”

“Yeah, baby?” The blonde replied lazily.

“Not that I don’t love filling in the silence here with my imagination, but you gotta talk, babe.” Bridget could hear the amusement in the brunette’s voice.

“I just wish you were here with me.” Ah, so there it was, exactly what Franky had thought the blonde was getting at. The other woman was still turned on, and fuck if it wasn’t sexy as hell.

Franky considered her next line. She had told the blonde not that much earlier in the night that she wanted to wait. The reason wasn't because they both didn’t want it to happen, it was solely because she knew Bridget had to leave soon, and they both understood that. A solution was being offered to her, she just had to decide to take it.

“Well that could be arranged.” Franky no sooner had the words out of her mouth when she heard the text message tone in her ear. Bridget had sent her address. “I’ll be there. Give me 15.” The brunette hung up the phone and threw the towel she was holding under the sink. She’d deal with that later when she did the laundry. She grabbed her wallet and keys and practically jogged out to her car.


	6. Chapter 6

Exactly thirteen minutes later, Bridget received a text from Franky saying that she was standing outside on the porch. She smiled to herself thinking there had definitely been some speed limits broken on the way. She walked out to the door in just her underwear and singlet. Why bother to put on pants if they’d just be coming off in a few minutes anyway?

She opened the door to find Franky standing there in the same outfit that she had been wearing when Bridget left her apartment.

Franky scanned the blonde’s body with her eyes, taking note that she was in just her underwear. “You don’t mess around, do ya Gidge?”

“Nope.” The older woman reached out and pulled Franky into the house, closing and locking the door behind her, and led her down the hall to the bedroom. “That’s Em’s room,” she said as they passed a door on the left, “but she’s a heavy sleeper.”

Franky didn’t miss the implications of the blonde’s comment.

When they reached the end of the hallway, Bridget entered a door on the right and the brunette followed, quietly closing it behind her so as not to risk waking the sleeping child a couple of rooms away.

The blonde’s lips were on Franky’s immediately. She had to stand on the tips of her toes, so the tall brunette reached around and bent over slightly, putting her hands on the back of the older woman’s thighs and lifting her up. Bridget responded by immediately wrapping her legs around the other woman’s hips, and her arms around her neck as Franky began to walk them towards the bed.

When the brunette felt her knees hit the bed, she broke their kiss and gently laid Bridget down, lowering herself so she was hovering just a few inches above the blonde’s face. A couple of times, the older woman tried to reconnect her lips with Franky’s, but each time Franky would move back, just out of reach and smile.

“Baby,” Bridget whined, “please.”

“Relax Gidge, we’ve got all night and I intend to use it.” She ghosted her lips across the blonde’s jawline and began placing small kisses down her neck. She let her hand trail down to where Bridget’s singlet met her underwear and dipped under it, feeling the muscle twitch as the woman squirmed underneath her, silently begging her to hurry up and get to where she desperately needed her.

Bridget tugged at the bottom of Franky’s v-neck and the brunette sat up allowing her to pull it off over her head. After discarding the shirt somewhere over the side of the bed, the blonde removed her own top and tossed it aside, making the woman above her chuckle.

“Getting impatient, hmm?” Franky teased, “Had to take matters into your own hands there?” She let her hand fall to the blonde’s breast, which was now fully exposed and ran her fingertips across a hardened nipple.

“Ahh,” Bridget gasped, “If you don’t hurry up and fuck me, I might have to do more than just take my own shirt off.”

Any intention that Franky had of taking it slow was quickly evaporating. She wanted to take the time to show the blonde just how much she cared about her, but if Bridget wanted something fast and intense right now, then Franky would gladly put her own plans aside for the moment.

She quickly unhooked and discarded her own bra as well as the rest of her clothes and laid back on the blonde, crashing their lips together. Bridget’s hands felt like they were everywhere at once. They were in Franky’s hair, pulling gently; trailing up and down her back, nails lightly scratching and slipping down to cup her ass and pull her closer to the woman underneath her.

The brunette trailed hot kisses down to the blonde’s breasts, stopping to pay particular attention to each nipple, sucking and biting gently.

“Jesus, fuck.” Franky looked up to see Bridget with her head thrown back, showing off the tension in her neck muscles.

The brunette continued her way down the blonde’s stomach. Bridget could feel the cool metal of Franky’s silver necklaces trailing down ahead of the kisses from her hot mouth. When she got to the blonde’s underwear, she took the elastic in her teeth, pulling on it and letting it snap back into place, earning a moan from the woman beneath her. She hooked her fingers in each side and the older woman raised her hips slightly to allow Franky to slide her underwear down and off over her feet.

She trailed kisses from Bridget’s inner thigh to her already slick folds and wasted no time running her tongue up to the blonde’s clit and flicking it gently with the tip. As she settled in, Franky placed Bridget’s left leg over her shoulder to allow herself more access and immediately felt a hand back in her hair, holding her in place right where the older woman wanted her, and tugging gently when she hit a particularly good spot.

“Yes, baby,” Franky latched onto the blonde’s clit and lightly sucked while flicking it with her tongue. She could start to feel small tremors in the leg draped over her shoulder. “I need you inside, baby.”

Franky moved two fingers to Bridget’s opening and, as soon as the blonde felt her there, she pushed her hips forward causing Franky’s fingers to sink deep inside her. Franky moved her fingers, curling them upwards each time as she dragged them out causing the blonde to now utter a string of curse words. The brunette could tell the other woman was close. Bridget’s heel was digging into her back and she was sure she’d have a bruise there tomorrow but she didn’t care. She sped up her fingers and gave one final flick with her tongue on the blonde’s clit and Bridget fell over the edge, chanting Franky’s name like a prayer, and reaching out for anything she could grab onto.

After the initial waves of pleasure had subsided, Franky moved up Bridget’s body and planted a deep kiss on her lips. Bridget moaned, tasting herself on Franky’s tongue.

The blonde reached down between them and ran her finger over Franky’s clit and down her slippery folds. Franky grunted as Bridget slipped two fingers inside of her and started a deep steady rhythm. Instead of easing her fingers out of the blonde, Franky began to pick up the pace to match Bridget’s.

“Fuck, Franky, I can’t.” Bridget protested, thinking that she couldn’t possibly go again after the orgasm she’d just had but, after a few strokes of Franky’s fingers inside her, she felt the tension in her stomach start to build again, and her words died on her lips, replaced by moans.

“Yeah, you can, babe.” Franky smiled against the blonde’s neck, feeling Bridget’s muscles start to tighten around her fingers again. She could feel her own release building in the pit of her stomach faster than she had anticipated. Between Bridget’s fingers, and the moans coming out of the older woman’s mouth, Franky quickly found herself at the edge and a swipe of Bridget’s thumb across her clit was the final thing she needed to release the coil in her stomach and let herself fall. Feeling Franky clamp down on her fingers and hearing her moans as she rode out her orgasm was enough to send Bridget over right after her.

After a few moments, when their breathing had returned to almost normal, Franky picked her head up from the crook of Bridget’s neck, and kissed her gently.

“Fuck.” Was all Bridget managed to say, and Franky gave a small laugh. “That was….” Bridget trailed off, not even able to find the word she wanted.

Franky moved to lay on her side and pulled the blonde close to her, wrapping her in her arms. “You okay, Gidge?” She asked, kissing her temple.

“Yeah, that was just, I don’t know…not like anything I’ve ever had before.”

Franky smiled, pleased that she had that effect on the blonde. “And to think, I haven’t even brought out the kinky stuff yet.”

Bridget turned to look at her, eyes wide. “Like what??”

“You’ll see babe. It’s always better to show than to tell.”

They both laughed, and it wasn’t long before they were asleep in each other’s arms.

********

Franky woke to Bridget still curled into her, sleeping soundly. She could just see the first rays of sunlight starting to brighten the sky outside. As much as she didn’t want to leave, she didn’t think it would be good to have Emily find her here in the morning. She knew Bridget would tell the girl about them eventually, but she thought bringing it up for the first time in this type of situation might lead to too many questions.

She placed a light kiss on the end of the blonde’s nose, “Gidge?” She whispered.

All she got in return was an incoherent mumble. She tried again, “Gidge, wake up. I need to go, and I want to say goodbye.” She moved her hand up and down Bridget’s back, trying to gently bring her awake.

“Not yet.” The blonde mumbled, snuggling in closer to Franky.

“Gidge, I need to go before Em comes in here looking for you.” With the mention of her niece’s name, Bridget’s eyes came open and she quickly glanced towards the door. Franky gave a small laugh. “Forgot about her, ay?”

“I’m just not used to ...yeah, I guess.” The blonde sat up in the bed and ran her hands through her hair to get it out of her face and laughed. “I will tell her about us.”

“I know, but just not like this.” Bridget nodded, and Franky pulled her down for one last kiss before she got out of bed and started gathering her clothes.

“How did this end up way over here?” She picked up Bridget’s singlet from one of the tall house plants on the other side of the room and tossed it back onto the bed for her. Bridget just shrugged and put it back on.

They were saying goodbye at the front door after Bridget had carefully listened to make sure she heard no sounds from Emily’s room before letting Franky out of the bedroom. They heard a key turn in the lock, and before either of them had time to move, the door opened hitting Franky in the shoulder.

“Ow, what the..?” Franky stepped back and opened the door wide to see who was outside.

She was met with Vera standing on the front porch, her hand still raised as if holding the doorknob and looking rather confused at the tall brunette standing inside.

“I, uh…” Vera began.

Bridget stepped out from behind Franky, and as her friend looked back and forth between the two of them a small, knowing smile crept onto her face.

“Vera, this is Franky. Franky, this is my friend, Vera, who I told you about.”

Franky held her hand out “Ah yeah, nice to meet you, Gov. Gidge talks about you a lot.” Vera shook the brunette’s hand.

“Come inside. What brings you by so early, Vera?” Bridget asked her friend.

“I was just on my way into work and I realized I had left one of my files here last night. I thought I could just sneak in quietly and pick it up on the way.” Vera smiled awkwardly, “Sorry about hitting you with the door by the way.” She said to Franky.

“Ah, it’s no worries. I should be going though before….” She nodded her head in the direction of Emily’s room.

“Yeah.” Bridget was realizing just how much she didn’t want her to leave, but she gave her a quick kiss anyway and Franky headed out the door.

Just then Emily appeared around the corner, looked at Bridget and Vera then proceeded to look into the bathroom, Bridget’s bedroom, and finally, the kitchen and living area. Not finding what she was looking for, she returned to the entryway.

“What are you looking for, sweetheart?” Bridget asked her niece.

“Where’s Franky?” The little girl asked sleepily.

Bridget glanced up at Vera, and Vera assumed the look she was giving her meant that she hadn’t mentioned anything about her and Franky to the girl.

“I don’t know love. It’s very early. She’s probably asleep at her house.” Bridget tried to sound as cool and calm as possible.

“No, she’s here. I heard her just now.” Emily went to check all the rooms again.

“She’s too smart.” Vera gave a small laugh.

“I know,” Bridget sighed, “Is Franky still out there?”

Vera opened the door a crack and peered out. “Yep, she’s standing by her car talking on her phone.”

“Okay, give me a sec.” Bridget moved past her friend and walked out to the street where Franky had parked her car last night. Seeing her approach, Franky hung up her phone and put it in her pocket.

“Something wrong Gidge?”

“No, well…no. It’s just…Emily heard you in the house and now she’s looking all over for you, asking where you are.”

“Aw shit, I’m sorry,” Franky’s eyes went wide, “Wait…she heard me last night? Or this morning?”

Bridget let out a loud laugh, “She heard us all talking in the hall this morning, baby. You’re so cute.” She took Franky’s face in both hands and gave her a kiss. “Anyway, you might as well come back in, she won’t give it up easily, and we have a whole ten second walk to make up an excuse as to why you’re here.”

Bridget took Franky by the hand and led her back to the house. When they entered, they could hear Emily talking excitedly in the kitchen with Vera about the movie they had watched the night before. When Franky rounded the corner the girl’s eyes lit up and she ran to greet her, throwing her arms around the tall brunette’s legs and squeezing tightly.

“Hey bub.” Franky reached down and ruffled the girl’s hair.

“Why are you at Auntie Bridge’s house?” the young girl asked looking up at Franky.

Wow, she didn’t waste any time getting to the point either, Franky thought; it must be a Westfall thing. She crouched down, “Well, your Auntie tells me that you really like my class.” The girl nodded, “And that you want to cook at home but she doesn’t really know how to help you do that.” The child giggled and nodded again. “So, since your Auntie and I are friends, she asked me to come and teach you how to cook some breakfast stuff. How does that sound?” A huge grin broke out on the girl’s face and she ran down the hall to change out of her pyjamas and wash up.

Franky stood to find the two women staring at her. “What?” She asked, thinking she’d missed something.

“You’re really good with her.” Vera said.

“Ah, well, it helps that kids normally like me.” Franky gave a small grin.

“It would, yeah. Anyway, I should be going. I really just came to pick this up.” She held up the file in her hand and started toward the door.

“Hey, Vera, why don’t you stay too? Me and Em will cook for everyone.” Franky washed her hands and started looking through the kitchen, grabbing ingredients while she waited for Emily to return.

“Oh, I couldn’t. I should leave you guys to…”

“Nonsense,” Bridget interrupted her friend. “We’d love to have you. And Franky makes the best, well, everything.” Vera smiled and reluctantly agreed after Franky insisted that it was no problem if she stayed.

The two friends sat out on the patio at the table with their coffees that Franky had made for them while she and the young girl were busy inside making breakfast for everyone.

“So…” Vera began.

“So…?” Bridget waited for her friend to continue her thought.

“So, that’s Franky.”

“That is definitely Franky.” Bridget couldn’t even say her name without smiling.

Her friend laughed, “And I’m guessing she didn’t just show up at your door like I did this morning?”

“No, she showed up at my door last night after you left.” Bridget laughed when she saw Vera’s mouth hanging open, “Not unannounced ...I asked her over.”

Vera raised her eyebrows, “So I guess you weren’t lying when you said it was a really good date.” Vera sipped her coffee and Bridget just smiled and winked. “She’s not what I had pictured in my mind though.”

“What did you have pictured?” Bridget asked.

“I don’t know, she’s just so…” Vera was staring off towards the kitchen and Bridget followed her gaze to see Franky showing Emily how to make the perfect omelette. “So ...hot.”

Bridget nearly choked on her coffee at the comment she wasn’t at all expecting from her friend.

Vera continued, “I mean, I’m not, you know, gay….at all…but I can appreciate when someone is attractive and yeah….good choice there!”

Bridget gave a laugh at the awkwardness of her friend trying to explain her thoughts. “Um, thanks?”

Just then Franky and Emily came out carrying plates of fresh, hot food.

“Okay, we’ve got omelettes, we’ve got bacon, we’ve got toast.” Franky announced as they sat the plates down one by one on the table.

Vera took a bite of her omelette and moaned in appreciation. “Oh my god…”

“See? I told you she was good.” Bridget said, pointing her fork at her friend.

They all laughed and enjoyed their food in the early morning sun.


	7. Chapter 7

Bridget and Franky once again found themselves at the front door in an embrace, saying goodbye. Vera had left right after breakfast, and the three of them had spent a lazy morning in the backyard. Franky had offered to stay and be there when Bridget talked to Emily, but the blonde had insisted that she could handle it.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” Franky asked, pulling Bridget in for another quick kiss.

“Mmmm,” Bridget hummed. “I’ll always want you to stay, but I think I should take on this one on my own.”

“Okay, tomorrow though, I was thinking, we should all go to Luna Park.”

“Oh, I don’t think Emily has been there, she’ll love it!” Bridget smiled and thought of how much she enjoyed going to the park as a child, and she knew that her niece would love it. She was touched that Franky wanted to include Emily as well. The last woman she had dated couldn’t stand it when Emily was there for a visit, let alone had wanted to include her in anything that she didn’t absolutely have to.

“I’ll meet you here at 9am then.” Franky smiled, gave Bridget one last kiss and headed out the door.

Bridget found Emily in the living room, sitting at the coffee table with her drawing paper and markers. She sat down beside the girl. Bridget quickly scanned over the papers that were lying on the table and saw what she assumed were drawings of Franky teaching her class, a picture of the princess from the movie she had watched last night with Vera, and a third picture that Emily was still working on that looked to be herself, with Bridget and Franky, standing in front of a house.

“Those look lovely.” Emily glanced up briefly, and smiled then went back to working on her drawing. Bridget continued, silently thanking the child for giving her a way to start this conversation. She pointed to the drawing of the three of them, “Why don’t you tell me about this one?”

“It’s you and me and Franky and that’s your house and there’s going to be a big garden with lots of flowers over here.” She pointed to a blank area of the page beside the house she had drawn.

“Well that sounds lovely, darling. You must think Franky is a pretty nice person if you’re including her in this drawing with us?”

“Yeah. You think she’s nice too. She said she was your friend this morning.” Bridget smiled thinking of the way that Franky had so easily come up with the story that she was here to teach the girl how to cook breakfast.

“Yes, she’s my friend but, she’s more than that too. Like a special kind of friend.” The blonde wasn’t sure how much her niece knew about this kind of stuff, and she didn’t want to overstep her role by having conversations with her that maybe should have been had with her father.

“She’s your girlfriend.” It was a statement, not a question, and Bridget was thrown off momentarily.

“Why do you say that, love? Do you know what a girlfriend is?” Bridget thought that maybe the girl was using the word in the wrong way.

“I saw you kiss her outside this morning when she got here.” The blonde remembered how they had returned to find Emily with Vera in the kitchen, and a quick glance out the window confirmed that the girl would have been able to see them talking by Franky’s car from where she had been sitting on the stool.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah and in school, Dylan said that Lily was his girlfriend, and he tried to kiss her but she didn’t like him and she punched him in the stomach so, since you kissed Franky that means you want her to be your girlfriend and since she didn’t punch you in the stomach that means she wants to be your girlfriend too.” The young girl continued on drawing, like what she had said was the most logical and obvious thing in the world, and Bridget couldn’t help but let out a big laugh that filled the room.

“Well, I guess my job here is done. Good talk, love.” She gave the girl a kiss on the head as she got up and left her to continue her drawings while she prepared their lunch.

********

As soon as Franky got back to her apartment she sat down with her laptop and opened up the page for Luna Park. She scrolled through the page that listed all the rides and made a mental note of the ones she thought looked like fun. She had only intended to go online to buy their passes but then she started looking around. She knew that this level of planning was probably ridiculous for something as simple as a day trip to a park, but she wanted it to be perfect.

She heard her phone chime and glanced down to where it was lying on the couch beside her.

_Text Message from: Kim Chang_

She ignored it and went back to looking through the list of rides. A few seconds later, her phone went off again:

_Incoming Call: Kim Chang_

She reached down and pressed “Ignore”. Not even 30 seconds later the screen lit up again:

_Incoming Call: Kim Chang_

“Oh for fuck sake, Kim.” Franky mumbled to herself. She pressed ignore again, and then opened her contacts, scrolling until she found Kim’s name. She opened her profile, went straight to the bottom and clicked “Block this Caller”.

She tossed her phone back onto the couch and went to the tickets section of the Luna Park site. She purchased a family pass for the three of them and sent it to the printer on her desk. She smiled to herself. “Family”. That was a word that Franky rarely, if ever, had used in her life. She knew that what she had with Bridget was very new, but she had a good feeling about something for once in her life. She also knew that Emily wouldn’t be there with Bridget forever, but even when her Dad was back, she’d still get to see her once in awhile. It occurred to Franky that maybe for once in her life, she could also use the word “happy’.

********

It seemed that bedtime phone calls with Franky were quickly going to become the norm. Bridget once again found herself in bed with the phone pressed to her ear, eyes shut and listening to Franky’s voice; pretending that she was lying next to her instead of in her own bed across the city.

“I had a talk with Em after you left.” Bridget began.

“How did that go? Hopefully not too bad.”

“She’d already figured it out for herself.” Bridget gave a small laugh.

“How is that even possible, babe? Is she psychic?” Franky joked but she thought briefly that it could be a possibility.

“No, baby. Apparently she saw me kiss you outside by your car, and since you didn’t punch me, that meant you were my girlfriend.”

“What the fuck, Gidge?” Franky and Bridget were both in full on laughter by this point and after they were able to catch their breath, the blonde relayed the story behind her niece’s reasoning.

“So, the real moral of the story is that neither of us would survive a day as secret agent spies?” Franky asked.

“Oh definitely not.”

“All ready for tomorrow? Em excited?” Franky asked. She’d never been to an amusement park as a child. Her mother never bothered to take her and none of her foster families ever spent any extra money on her so she could be included in their fun activities. She’d gone a time or two as an adult but it wasn’t the same and she was excited to go with Bridget and be able to take Emily with them.

“I actually haven’t mentioned it to her yet. I want it to be a surprise when you get here tomorrow. I also wanted her to sleep tonight.” Bridget knew that if she had told her niece about the plans for tomorrow that the girl would either end up lying awake most of the night, too excited to sleep, or, she’d make her way into Bridget’s room and crawl in bed with her, keeping both of them awake by asking how much longer until morning. Either way, one or both of them would end up being tired and cranky and wouldn’t fully enjoy their day out.

“Ah, good call. Speaking of sleeping tonight, I should let you go. It’s getting late. I’ll be there by 9 tomorrow though, yeah?” This was always the worst part of every phone call with Bridget; saying goodbye.

“Okay baby, goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” Franky waited until she heard the phone disconnect, never wanting to be the first one to hang up. She turned over and closed her eyes. After a few minutes, she realized that she might be the one not sleeping that night.


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning, Bridget woke up early to pack the things she needed for their day at the park. About an hour before Franky was due to arrive, she quietly entered Emily’s room to wake the sleeping girl, and get her ready for the big day they had planned.

“Em.” Bridget knelt down beside her niece’s bed and spoke softly. Getting no response, she reached out and brushed her thumb over the girl’s cheek. “Em, darling, wake up.”

The girl began to stir and slowly opened her eyes, “Auntie Bridge?” She said sleepily.

“Yeah, baby, it’s me. You need to get up now okay? And get dressed.”

“Is it almost time for school?”

The blonde smiled. She had clearly woken her from a deep sleep, and Emily didn’t even know what day it was.

“No, dear, it’s Sunday but we’ve got something special to do today so we need to get ready, alright?” Bridget spoke softly, as the girl was still in the process of waking up. She slowly nodded her head and began to sit up, rubbing her eyes.

********

Franky’s thoughts last night had been correct; she was the one who wasn’t going to be sleeping. She figured she had gotten in maybe a good couple of hours, but the rest of the time she’d spent watching the clock. She had briefly wondered if she had anything in her medicine cabinet that said it may cause drowsiness, but then decided against that, as she didn’t want to feel the after-effects today. She threw a few things into a small tote bag, and headed out the door, deciding that she’d definitely need to stop at the coffee shop on the way there for something strong.

The shop wasn’t too busy when she got there, being that it was still fairly early on a Sunday morning. She walked up to the counter and ordered coffees for herself and Bridget, and a hot chocolate for Emily. As she waited for her drinks, she heard a familiar voice call out.

“Franky.”

She turned to see Kim walking up behind her. “I don’t have time for this right now, Kim.” She wasn’t going to make a scene, but she wasn’t going to be overly polite.

“Did you block my number?” Getting no response from the brunette, Kim continued, “Because I called and called yesterday afternoon, and it kept going to voicemail right away. Then I drove by your apartment building, and your car was there, so I know you weren’t at work. So why didn’t you answer?”

“You drove by my apartment? What the fuck? Are you stalking me?” Franky really wished those drinks would hurry up and arrive so she could leave.

“No, no, I just wanted to know where you were; why you wouldn’t pick up your phone.” She wrung her hands nervously.

After what seemed like an eternity, the barista sat a tray of drinks down on the counter. Kim’s eyes shifted to them and saw that they weren’t just for Franky.

“Ah. Okay. I see. Going to see that bitch I saw leaving your apartment the other night?” Kim spat out.

The brunette picked up the tray and turned to leave. Whatever else Kim said after that, Franky didn’t hear, and didn’t care.

********

Franky arrived at Bridget’s house a few minutes later and parked her car on the street. She grabbed the drinks and her bag and made her way to the front door. It was unlocked, so she let herself inside. She was just setting the drinks on the kitchen counter when she felt two arms wrap around her from behind and heard a “Hey baby” mumbled into the back of her neck.

She turned around in the embrace and was met with Bridget’s blue eyes. “Hey yourself,” she said, dipping her head down to capture Bridget’s lips. Franky had meant for it to be a simple good morning kiss but the blonde moved her hand around to the back of her head, holding her there and deepening the kiss, eventually ending it with a soft bite to the taller woman’s bottom lip.

Franky couldn’t help the smile that came across her face.

“Uh, Gidge…” She looked around the room, then down the hall, trying to see where the young girl was.

“Don’t worry, she’s in her bedroom, and the door is closed. We’ll hear her when she comes out.” Bridget giggled against Franky’s lips.

“You’re a dirty bird but in that case…” Franky picked the blonde up and sat her down on the counter.

She leaned in capturing Bridget’s lips again and swiping her tongue across the older woman’s bottom lip. She was granted access immediately and Bridget moaned into her mouth. Just then, they heard a door open at the end of the hall.

Franky backed away, “To be continued.” She said winking at the blonde who was still sitting on the counter.

Emily came around the corner into the kitchen, and as soon as she saw Franky, she ran to her, giving her a big hug.

“Hey there, I got you something.” She reached over and picked up the hot chocolate from the counter, handing it to the girl.

“Thanks Franky.” She took a drink and then spotted her aunt. “You said people aren’t allowed to sit on the counter. That’s what you told me when I climbed up there once.”

“Yes, well, uh, hey Franky, why don’t you tell her what we’re doing today?” Bridget wasn’t about to try to come up with an excuse for being where she was, so she opted for deflection instead.

“Auntie Bridge hasn’t told you yet?” The girl shook her head. “Ah. Welllll, we are going to Luna Park!”

The young girl jumped up and down with excitement. “All of us?”

“Yep, all of us!” Bridget had made her way down from the counter and went to gather the things they’d need for the day. She looked back towards Franky, “We’ll take my car, yeah? Since it’s got her seat already in it.”

Franky nodded, “Yep, sounds good. Lead the way.”

As Bridget got Emily buckled into her car seat in the back, Franky doubled checked that she had the tickets with her and then used Bridget’s key to lock the door. As they pulled out of the driveway and headed down the road, neither of them noticed the car parked a short distance down from where Franky had left hers.

Kim had followed Franky from the shop and watched her go into the house, then come out a short time later with the blonde she had seen at the apartment that night. What she hadn’t expected was that there would be a kid involved. Franky Doyle did not play house with anyone.

********

When they arrived at the park gate, Bridget took out her wallet and Franky put out her hand to cover it.

“Already taken care of Gidge.” She held out the piece of paper she had printed to be scanned so they could get their bracelets.

“Franky, you didn’t have to do that.” The brunette shrugged. “At least let me give you some money.”

“Nah, I’ve got it, no worries.”

Bridget reluctantly put her wallet away saying that lunch and treats were on her and they stepped forward to the booth where they each had a brightly coloured bracelet placed around their wrist.

“Where to first?” Franky asked excitedly.

Emily spotted the Twin Dragon, a large ship, suspended in the air that swung back and forth like a pendulum and pointed at it excitedly. Just watching it already had the brunette’s stomach churning but she decided that she could tough it out. The three of them took their spot in the line. It wasn’t as bad as Franky thought it would be, and Emily squealed with delight every time the ride paused at the extreme end of its arc, then swung back in the opposite direction.

They made their way through the park, trying out almost every ride they came to. Emily had especially loved the carousel, and by the time they were ready to go eat lunch, Franky and Bridget had lost count as to how many times they had ridden on it.

They made their way to Cafe Luna for lunch. It was a bright, open restaurant; painted white inside with long, dark wooden tables. Franky and Emily gave Bridget their orders and went to find a table.

“So you having a fun day so far, bub?” Franky asked the child, sitting down at a table they had found off in a quiet corner.

Emily nodded enthusiastically, “Can we get fairy floss later? And I want to go on the scary train.”

Franky had seen the Ghost Train ride on the way through the park and remembered that it had been one of her favourites the last time she’d visited.

“Ohhh, yeah, that one’s a classic! There’s ghosts and skeletons and zombies!” The brunette lifted both of her hands and reached out for Emily, doing her best zombie impression from the classic horror movies. The girl gave a small scream then started to laugh.

Just then, Bridget arrived with their food. Cheeseburgers and fries for Franky and Emily, and a slice of pizza for herself.

“What’s going on here now?” She asked, smiling down at her niece as she sat the plates of food out in front of them.

“We’re going on the scary train!” Emily excitedly told her aunt, grabbing one of the fries from her plate.

“Oh, we are?” Bridget shot a questioning look at the brunette sitting across from her. She turned back to her niece. “Don’t you think that’s a bit scary? You might have a bad dream tonight.”

“I’m brave. And Franky says it’s a clas-, a cla-“ The girl struggled to find the word that Franky had used a few moments earlier.

“Classic” The brunette said between bites of her burger.

“Yeah, a classic. Thanks Franky.”

“Yes, thanks, Franky.” The blonde shot another look at her girlfriend and Franky felt like this was going to be a conversation they’d have later on. “Let’s just have lunch and then we can check out the rest of the park, yeah?”

The young girl dropped the subject of the scary ride and happily ate her lunch.

They continued on their way through the park, and after going on a few more rides and sharing some fairy floss as Franky had promised, they arrived at the carnival games. They all tried their hand at various games, but Franky was the only one to have any success. She played a dart toss game and won a teddy bear for Emily. The next game she tried was a target shooting game that used an electronic gun.

She gripped the gun, raised her arms, straightened them out in front of her, and began picking off the targets one by one. Bridget and Emily stood watching and Bridget wondered how she had never noticed before how toned her girlfriend’s arms were. She watched as the muscles in her forearm flexed each time she pulled the trigger and saw the total look of concentration on her face. The blonde was so rapt that she almost didn’t even realize when the game ended. She was brought back to reality when she realized that Franky was talking to her.

“Gidge, you alright?” Franky was holding out a stuffed penguin that she had just won.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine.” Bridget reached out and took the toy from the brunette. “I was just distracted.” She looked around and realized that Emily wasn’t standing with them anymore.

Franky noticed the sudden look of panic on the blonde’s face, “She’s just over there playing another game.” She looked to where the younger woman was pointing to see Emily at the booth next to them. “So what got you all distracted, huh?” Franky asked, taking a step closer and seeing a slight blush creep into Bridget’s cheeks.

“I was just admiring the view.” The blonde was trying to play it casual.

“Is that so?” Franky took another step closer and reached out, putting her arm around the older woman’s waist. “And what part of “the view” got to you?”

The blonde playfully slapped the brunette’s arm, “Franky! Not here! Later.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Franky gave her a quick peck on the lips and they turned their attention to watch the young girl trying to knock over a pyramid of bottles in the next booth.

It was late afternoon and they had seen and done pretty much everything in the park. As they were making their way to the gate, Emily spotted the Ghost Train ride again.

“Auntie Bridge?” Bridget felt the young girl tug on her hand but kept walking, hoping that she could avoid the topic of the scary ride again. “Auntie Bridge.” The girl tugged a little harder this time. “Can I please go on the train?”

Bridget stopped and looked down at the girl who looked to Franky for help.

“It might be a bit scary for you, yeah? We can come back another time when you’re a bit older and you can go on it then.” Franky had realized her mistake of getting the child excited about the ride at lunch and was trying to make it up to Bridget.

“Please.” The child looked back and forth between the two adults.

Bridget considered it for another moment. “Okay fine, but you know it might be scary, yeah?” The girl nodded and the three of them made their way over to the ride.

Emily loved the ride except for a couple of scary moments when some sort of monster jumped out at them. The train came to a stop and they exited the ride and continued on the way to the gate. Overall, it had been a good day and the two adults were confident that they had given the young girl some good memories to look back on.

They pulled into the driveway at Bridget’s house and Franky noticed a note under her car’s wiper. “I’ll be back in a sec.” She told Bridget and jogged over to grab the note. She opened it and felt a shiver run down her spine:

_Never figured you were someone who’d play house. Your girlfriend’s kid is cute though. It’d be a shame if something happened to her. I told you this wasn’t over._

Franky ripped up the note and let the pieces drop from her hand, where they were carried away by the breeze. Fucking Kim, she thought. She must have followed her from the coffee shop that morning. Franky didn’t care what Kim said or did to her, but threatening Bridget or Emily was a different story. She never thought Kim would ever do anything to a kid but now she was starting to question that, and clearly she now knew where they lived.

Bridget and Emily were already in the house when Franky returned from her car.

“Em, you need to eat something for supper before you fall asleep. You look exhausted darling.” Bridget was trying to get some food into her niece before the child was out for the night but Emily kept refusing, just shaking her head. After a few more attempts, the blonde gave up and decided she would just put her to bed and if she woke up hungry later on, she’d deal with it then.

Franky was thankful for the few moments she had alone while Bridget was putting Emily to bed. She refused to let Kim get into her head but, at the same time she was worried about how far Kim was willing to go. She was putting away the dishes that had been left in the drying rack from breakfast when Bridget returned and hopped up to sit on the counter.

“You’re not allowed to sit on the counter.” Franky teased her. “House rules and all apparently.”

“I make them which means I can break them.” Her girlfriend laughed.

“Gidge, I’m sorry that I assumed she could go on that ride at lunch.”

“Don’t worry about it, baby. She was already asleep before I got out the door.” Bridget reached out, grabbing Franky’s shirt and pulling her close, parting her legs so the brunette could stand between them. “Besides, if she wakes up tonight, you’ll be the one who has to get up with her.”

Franky gave a mock gasp, “Is that so?”

Bridget nodded and wrapped her arms around the younger woman’s neck. “You know, I believe I was also promised something this morning. Maybe something that you’d continue?” The blonde drew out the last words as she let her lips hover close enough to Franky’s that she could feel her breath on them.

The brunette chuckled and began trailing kisses along Bridget’s jawline and down her neck, licking, sucking and biting as her hand moved to open the button on the blonde’s jeans. She found the spot under the older woman’s ear, that she remembered had been so sensitive the other night, and teased her there while she slowly slipped her hand into her underwear.

Franky’s fingers brushed over Bridget’s clit and the blonde tightened her grip around Franky’s neck, pulling her in closer. The brunette let her fingers slide over Bridget’s folds a couple of times, gathering the wetness that had pooled there, then returned to her clit, drawing slow tight circles around it. She could feel the blonde’s hand trying to slip under her pants. Franky had other plans though for tonight so she gently took Bridget’s hand with her free one and laced their fingers together.

She was about to protest when the younger woman whispered in her ear, “This is just about you right now, babe.” The blonde whimpered at hearing Franky’s words. “I do want you to tell me something though.”

“Mmmmm, what?” Bridget’s voice was barely more than a whisper and the brunette knew that the older woman was quickly losing control. 

“Tell me what got you so distracted when you were watching me at the park today.” Franky pulled back slightly, making eye contact with the blonde.

“Franky…” The blonde trailed off.

“Tell me.” Franky slowed down her circles on the older woman’s clit slightly, hoping to drag it out a little longer.

“Mmmm. I was thinking that you looked hot, your arms and …..ah….they looked strong….” Bridget was getting lost in the sensation of Franky’s fingers again.

“And?” Franky prompted.

“And you looked so intense. And I pictured you.....fuck Franky.” 

The brunette could feel the first twitches starting in the blonde’s body.

Franky moved back to the blonde’s neck and bit gently. “Pictured me what?” The only response from the blonde was a soft moan. “Tell me.”

“You taking me….” Bridget clearly was too far gone to form a coherent sentence, so Franky decided to help her out.

“Taking you and taking control? Franky moved back to the area below the blonde’s ear and ran the tip of her tongue along it. “Is that what you want?”

“Yes. Fuck….I’m..”

She sped up her fingers, and the blonde grabbed on to the back of Franky’s t-shirt, bunching it up in her fists as her body shook. She buried her face in Franky’s neck to keep as quiet as possible but she couldn’t help a couple of louder moans that escaped her mouth.

The brunette held her until she stopped shaking and slowly removed her hand from the blonde’s pants.

“Well, that might be something we’ll have to try out some time.” Franky said with a huge grin on her face.

Bridget blushed and put her head back down on the brunette’s shoulder. “It’d probably go pretty well, yeah.” They both laughed.

They stood there for a moment and Franky noticed that the blonde’s breathing was starting to slow and even out which meant she was falling asleep. “Gidge?”

“Yeah, baby?” Bridget mumbled.

“I don’t think Em was the only one who’s exhausted. Let’s go to bed.” She felt Bridget nod and placed a kiss on her temple before stepping back to allow her to get off the counter and follow her to the bedroom.

********

Franky woke with a start, breathing rapidly and covered in sweat. She dreamt that she was on the Ghost Train but instead of monsters jumping out to scare the three of them, it was Kim. She’d jump out and grab at Emily and Bridget, trying to pull them out of the ride and right before she woke up one of the Kims had almost succeeded in tearing the small girl out of her arms.

She checked that the blonde beside her was still sleeping, and then carefully slid out from under the covers. She walked quietly down the hallway and into the kitchen, turning on only the small light above the stove. She got herself a glass of water from the sink and stood looking out the window as she sipped the cool liquid.

It wasn’t long before she heard movement behind her. Turning, she saw Emily standing at the other end of the kitchen rubbing her eyes.

“Hey love, what are you doing up? Are you hungry?” Franky asked, remembering that the girl had been too tired to eat her supper earlier.

Emily shook her head.

“Thirsty?”

Another shake of her head.

The brunette finished her water and set the glass on the counter. She walked over to the small blonde and held out her hand. “Let’s go back to bed then, yeah? It’s still the middle of the night.” The girl took hold of Franky’s hand, but refused to walk down the hallway with her.

She crouched down and could now see that the child looked afraid.

“Did you have a bad dream, bub?” The girl nodded her head.

“The monsters came and…” The girl started to cry, tears running down her cheeks.

Franky reached out and wiped them away with her thumbs. “There’s no monsters here, I promise you. Do you want me to stay with you until you fall back to sleep?”

The girl nodded, “And Auntie Bridge too.”

“Okay, come on.” Instead of taking the girl back to her own room, Franky took her to the main bedroom. She climbed into the bed and immediately cuddled into her aunt. Bridget didn’t wake, but she must have sensed that the girl was there because she reached out and put an arm over her. The brunette crawled in behind her, putting the child in between them. “You feeling better now?”

The girl nodded and closed her eyes.

Bridget awoke in the morning to find that, at some point in the night, her niece had made her way into her bedroom, and between her and Franky. She reached over the small child and stroked the brunette’s cheek gently to wake her.

“Mmm, morning, babe.”

“Good morning, baby.” She looked down at the still sleeping child. “What happened?”

“You were right,” Franky’s voice was sleepy, “she had a bad dream and wanted to be near both of us. I offered to stay with her until she fell asleep in her own bed, but she didn’t want that. I should have listened to you yesterday and not let her on the ride.”

“Shhh, baby, it’s alright, She’ll be fine. We need to get up now though. She’s got school and we’ve both got work.” The blonde gently woke her niece and they all got up and ready for their days.


	9. Chapter 9

The past two weeks had flown by, and Franky and Bridget had spent as much time together as they possibly could. Franky had probably only spent one night at her own place, and that was only because she thought she was coming down with something and didn't want to pass it along to Bridget or Emily.

Franky was currently preparing for her cooking class. She enjoyed all of her classes, but the children's class had a special place in her heart. She loved sharing her passion with students who were so eager to learn, and who soaked up everything she had to teach them.

"Okay, I want everyone to look at the ingredients in front of them." Franky directed the class after everyone had settled in. "Who can guess what we're making today?"

"Cake!" The kids all yelled.

"Close," the brunette said, "we're making cupcakes!"

She demonstrated how to measure and mix everything together then walked between the stations, talking with the kids and offering extra help to those who needed it. When she got to Emily's station, the girl tugged on her sleeve and motioned for her to come closer.

Franky leaned forward, resting her arms against the counter. "What's up, bub?"

"Are we going to learn how to make regular cake?" Emily whispered to the tall brunette.

"Regular cake? You mean like a big round one instead of cupcakes?" Franky had never heard a cake being referred to as 'regular' before.

Emily nodded her head.

"No, we're just doing cupcakes in this class."

"Oh." the girl lowered her head looking disappointed.

"Why do you want to make a regular cake?" Franky's curiosity was piqued.

"For Auntie Bridge's birthday next week." Emily said quietly.

Franky wondered if Bridget was going to let on that her birthday was coming up, or if she would have let it pass without saying anything. What did she normally do for birthdays? Franky guessed that she probably celebrated with her friends, maybe Vera usually planned something for her. The brunette made a mental note to call Vera later.  
"Well, why don't you and I make one for her at your house?" Franky was already planning the party in her head as Emily's face lit up.

********  
That evening while Bridget was in the shower, Franky looked through her phone for Vera's number. Thankfully the blonde was trusting enough that she didn't have a passcode programmed in, and Franky easily found what she was looking for. She dialed the number on her own mobile and hoped that Vera would answer an unknown number.

"Hello?" The voice on the other end of the line sounded small and unsure.

"Hey, Vera? It's Franky."

"Franky?" there was a short pause, "Oh, yes, Franky. Uh, what can I...How can I...help, you?" Vera stumbled over her words.

"I've just found out from a fairly reliable source that Bridget's birthday is this Saturday." Franky continued, "So I need your help with two things."

"Okay...."

The brunette could practically feel the other woman's apprehension through the phone.

"Don't worry, it's nothing illegal." Franky chuckled and heard Vera do the same on the other end of the line.

"What do you need?"

"I want to have a party here for her and Emily wants to make her a cake. Can you keep her out of the house for the day?"

"Um, sure. I could take her out. We could have lunch and do some shopping." Vera suggested.

"Yeah, excellent. And thanks, I owe ya." Franky hung up. Step one of her plan was complete. 

********

"Hey, Vera." Bridget sat down opposite her friend during their morning coffee break.

"Oh, hello. Um, Bridget," Vera was never very good at deceiving people, even if it was for a good cause, but she really wanted to help make her friend's birthday special. "I was thinking that maybe on Saturday we could have a bit of a girl's day for your birthday. We could grab lunch; do some shopping maybe?" When Bridget hesitated for a few seconds, she thought maybe the blonde had already made plans with someone else.

"That sounds lovely actually." Bridget was genuinely touched by the offer, and was excited to spend the day with her friend. 

She normally kept her birthdays quiet. It wasn't that she didn't like to celebrate them, and on birthdays when she was with a partner, they usually had a small party or dinner, but left on her own, she preferred just to spend the day relaxing. She hadn't mentioned anything to Franky, thinking that she'd just get a sitter for Em that night, and they could go out for dinner or to a movie. She didn't want her girlfriend to feel like she had to make a big deal out of it, so she had decided she wouldn't give her enough time to plan anything.

"I'll take Emily to my place for the night as well, so you and Franky can have a quiet evening." Vera offered.

"Aw, that's sweet of you. Are you sure though? The whole night?" Bridget thought it was like Vera could read her mind. While her and Franky both loved having Emily around, they hadn't had a full night with just the two of them in the house since they'd started dating. 

"Yeah, of course. Apparently that movie we watched the last time I looked after her has a 'must see' sequel." Vera said, using air quotes to indicate that the sequel would most likely be forgettable.

They both chuckled and Bridget thanked her again.

********

It was the morning of Bridget's birthday, and Vera had just arrived to pick up her friend for their day out. Bridget had told Franky the night before that her and her friend were spending the day out, and that Vera had offered to take her niece for the night. She still hadn't mentioned however that all of this was happening because it was her birthday.

"Don't have too much fun without me, yeah?" Franky called from the kitchen as the two women were leaving.

"Wouldn't dream of it, baby." Bridget called over her shoulder.

They walked out to the street where Vera had parked her car and got in, fastening their seat belts.

"So, anywhere in particular you'd like to go?" Vera asked, starting the car.

"How about one of the dress shops downtown? I want to get something to wear tonight when I'm out with Franky." Bridget smiled thinking about the evening she had planned for them in her mind.

Vera nodded and pulled out onto the street, heading for the downtown shopping area.

"So, how are things going with you two?" She asked after they had been driving for a couple of minutes.

"They're good," Bridget paused for a moment, looking off into the distance, remembering all of the good times her and Franky had together over the past month. A smile broke out across her face, "They're really good."

Vera looked over quickly at her friend, "You're in love with her." It wasn't a question.

"What?" Bridget would be lying if she said those words hadn't floated through her mind at least a couple of times lately. She didn't think she was being so transparent though. "Love is a big word."

"Are you saying you're not?"

"No..." The blonde trailed off, "I haven't told her yet."

"Why not?" While Vera wasn't one who easily admitted her feelings, she knew that Bridget was much more open. She'd seen how her friend and Franky looked at each other, and Franky had been the cause of many smiles and giggles at the lunch table these past few weeks, so she was a bit surprised to hear that Bridget hadn't told Franky how she really felt yet.

"I don't know. I should. Maybe I'm afraid it's too soon and saying it will ruin this happy bubble that we're in right now." the blonde sighed.

"For what it's worth, I think it's obvious that she loves you as well and you don't have anything to worry about." Even though Vera had only met Franky a couple of times, and they'd only had a few phone calls planning out the party details, she could tell that the brunette cared a lot for her friend.

"Thanks, I appreciate that." Bridget smiled at her friend. She knew these types of conversations weren't easy for her, so that made it all the more meaningful when they did happen. 

They spent the morning looking at dresses in various shops and Bridget finally settled on a dark purple, one shoulder dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. It stopped just above her knees and she decided she'd pair it with some silver heels that she already had at home. 

********  
As soon as Bridget and Vera had left for the day, Franky and Emily got to work on the cake. Franky had bought, and hidden, a bunch of different types of sprinkles and decorating supplies a couple of days earlier, and she started setting them out on the counter so they could get to work.

"What kind of cake is Auntie's favorite?" Franky asked the girl.

"Chocolate!" Emily said without hesitation.

"Okay, you have the cupcake recipe from class the other day?" Emily nodded that she did, "So we're going to make that recipe again but this time we're going to add some cocoa to make it taste chocolatey. So I'm going to let you do this and I'm just here if you have questions, and I'll help with the oven, okay?"

The girl nodded and set to work following Franky's recipe, carefully measuring out every ingredient into a big bowl. The brunette turned on the oven to preheat and prepared the baking pan. Once the batter was ready and poured into the pan, they placed it in the oven to bake.

While it was baking, Franky helped Emily pack a bag to take with her to Vera's for the night. That was the only part of the birthday plans that both her and Bridget knew about. She was impressed that Emily had managed to keep the party a secret. 

"Is that everything?" Franky asked as Emily put the last items of clothing into her backpack.

"Yeah, I guess." she answered quietly.

The brunette sat down on the bed beside her. "What's wrong? Aren't you excited to have a sleepover at Vera's?"

The girl was quiet for a minute. "Yeah, but I'll miss you and Auntie Bridge."

Franky thought for a moment and realized this would be the first night that one or both of them wasn't with her, and she wasn't sure if she'd ever stayed the night with Vera before. 

"I have an idea. I'll be back."

She walked over to the main bedroom and grabbed the toy penguin that she had won for Bridget at the park and headed back to Emily's room.  
"Why don't you borrow this from Auntie Bridge and take the bear I gave you with you too? Then you'll have something from each of us to keep you company tonight." Franky placed both toys into the backpack. The small blonde seemed to cheer up a bit.

Just then, the timer on the oven beeped, signalling that the cake was ready. Franky showed her how to test it to make sure it was fully cooked, and they placed it on a rack to cool.

"What color do you want the frosting to be?" Franky sat all of the food coloring options out so Emily could choose what she wanted.

"Pink!" She pointed to a bottle of neon pink coloring.

Franky showed her how to mix the frosting and add just the right amount of food coloring. Once it was spread over the cake, she brought out the containers of decorations. Emily chose multi-color sprinkles in the shape of tiny stars and Franky thought that it was fitting considering the gift she had bought for Bridget.

When Emily declared that the cake was perfect, Franky sent her to wash up and get changed into the outfit she had picked out to wear for the surprise party. She set about cleaning up the kitchen, placing the cake to the side on the counter and putting the extra frosting in a container. She'd told Emily they could use it on some cookies they'd make when she got back.

********

Bridget and Vera were winding down their day of lunch and shopping when they came to one last store that Bridget wanted to visit.

"Let's go in here, yeah?" she said, pointing to the shop they were approaching.

Vera looked up at the sign, "Uh, maybe I'll just meet you back out here in a bit. I'll check out something next door."

"Vera, come on, it'll be fine." Bridget had stopped in front of the store and was waiting for her fleeing friend to come back.

"Fine, but let's be quick, okay?" she let out a sigh and reluctantly followed Bridget inside. 

Bridget knew exactly what she was looking for so she had no problem fulfilling Vera's request to make it a quick stop. Once they were back out in the street, she checked in with her friend.

"That wasn't so bad, right?"

Vera just shot her a look and Bridget laughed, putting her arm around her shoulders as they walked back to their car.

********

The guests had started to arrive at Bridget's house. It was going to be a small group, just a few of her colleagues from work and a couple of close friends. Vera had made sure that everyone knew what they were supposed to bring and that they were to park far enough away that Bridget wouldn't notice their cars when they returned home. The food was set out on the table, along with an assortment of wines, and the cake was placed on the kitchen island and now topped with the candles that Franky had picked out. She'd also bought a bottle of tequila for doing a round of birthday shots.

When she heard the car pull up in front of the house, she told everyone to be quiet and turned off most of the lights.

"Franky?" Bridget walked in through the door, turning on the light in the entryway. "Franky, baby, you home?" She turned on the light in the kitchen.

"Surprise!"

Bridget stood there not knowing what to say. No one had ever thrown her a surprise party before. Franky walked up to her and pulled her into her arms with a quick kiss.

"Happy birthday, babe."

"Franky, how did you....?" She turned back to Vera, "Did you tell her?"

Vera shook her head.

When she turned back, Emily was there holding out a card she had made for her.

"She was my partner in crime." Franky whispered into Bridget’s ear.

Bridget crouched down and pulled her niece in for a hug, taking the card from her. "Thank you, love. You helped Franky with this?"

"Yeah." 

"You guys did good! I had no idea." She gave the girl a kiss on the head and stood up.

"Bridget," Vera said, walking up beside her, "Why don't you go put your dress on?"

"Right, yes, okay I'll be right back!"

Bridget turned and headed towards the bedroom, carrying all of her purchases from the day.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning, this chapter is NSFW. Don't get caught reading it at work like one of my betas did!

When Franky heard the bedroom door open again a few minutes later, she lit the candles on the cake and everyone got ready to sing ‘Happy Birthday’.

Bridget entered the main part of the house again, wearing the dress she had bought earlier that day, paired with the heels she had thought of when she tried it on. Franky stopped singing in the middle of the song. She’d seen Bridget dressed up before, but she thought she’d never looked as beautiful as she did tonight. The blonde caught her eye and then quickly looked down as a blush started to form on her cheeks. She’d never get used to that look from her girlfriend.

At the end of the song she blew out the candles and, with help from Emily, cut and served everyone a slice of the cake.

As she was taking her first bite, she felt two arms wrap around her from behind and a soft kiss placed on the side of her neck.

“You look really beautiful.” Franky murmured into her ear and she felt the older woman shiver in her arms. “Come outside with me for a minute, I’ve got something for you.”

Bridget placed her slice of cake down on the counter and followed the brunette out onto the patio. Franky sat down on the porch swing and gently pulled the blonde down next to her.

“I got you something. It’s not much, but when I saw it, I thought it suited you.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, black jewelry box. She noticed Bridget’s slight look of apprehension. “It’s not a ring, promise.” She gave a small laugh, handing over the box.

Bridget opened it to reveal a small, silver star on a matching chain. “Oh, Franky…”

“Here, let me put it on you. It will go well with your dress.” Franky took the necklace out of the box and motioned for Bridget to turn around so that she could place it around her neck and fasten it.

When Bridget turned back around, she reached up and placed her hand on Franky’s cheek, moving her thumb back and forth. “I love it, thank you, baby.” She leaned in and gave her a slow, gentle kiss. When she pulled back, she looked into green eyes and considered her next line carefully for a second. “And I love you.”

Franky leaned in and kissed her deeply, and Bridget wondered if she had made a mistake and this was her girlfriend’s way of avoiding saying it in return. The brunette pulled back, cradling Bridget’s face in her hands.

“I love you too, Gidge.”

Bridget let out the breath she was holding. She gave Franky another quick kiss, “We should get back inside with our guests.”

The blonde grabbed her slice of cake and headed over to the kitchen table to sit with her niece. “Hey, love, Franky says you made the cake, how did you know chocolate was my favourite?” She smiled and the young girl giggled, shrugging her shoulders. “Are you enjoying the party so far?”

“Yeah, Vera said we could watch a movie later. That will be fun. I’ve never stayed at her house” Emily paused. “I told Franky I was going to miss you and her. She packed my teddy bear and your penguin to keep me company there.” Bridget couldn’t help but smile. Franky had known exactly how to make Emily feel better about being away for the night because of course she did. She’d done it effortlessly ever since the first time she’d met the small blonde.

“That was very thoughtful of her and I’m sure you’ll have a lovely time with Vera.” Emily nodded and they continued to eat their cake.

As the evening went on, Franky made small talk with a few of the guests. She hadn’t invited any of her friends as they hadn’t had the chance to meet Bridget yet, and she wanted this party to be all people with whom Bridget was comfortable. She could meet Franky’s friends another time. When she went to the kitchen to get a glass of wine, she noticed that Vera was sitting out on the patio at the table, alone. She filled her glass and headed outside to talk to her.

“Hey,” she said, sitting down in the chair across from her. “Why are you out here all by your lonesome?”

“I just needed some air.” There was something about the way she said it that made Franky think there was more to it than that, but didn’t want to push.

“Thanks again for taking Bridget out today and for looking after Emily tonight.” The brunette said, taking a sip of her wine.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Bridget and I don’t get to spend much time together outside of work so it was nice. And I love spending time with Emily. I don’t have any young kids in my family anymore.” She paused, resting her head in her hand and looking up to meet Franky’s eyes. “You know, I’ve never heard Bridget talk about someone the way she talks about you.”

“In a good way, I hope?” Franky chuckled.

“In a very good way. She’s been on her own for awhile now and it’s nice to see her happy.” Vera hoped she hadn’t said too much.

“Is this where you tell me not to fuck it up and that you know how to hide a body if I do?”

“Yeah. Don’t, uh, fuck it up, okay?” They both burst out laughing.

“Come on back inside, I got some tequila for shots.” Franky stood up from the table.

“Oh, none for me, thanks. I think I’ll take Em and head to my place if that’s okay with you guys. It’s getting a bit late, and I promised her a movie.”

“Oh, shit, sorry, yeah, yeah I’ll grab her bag for you.” Franky headed into the house to let Bridget and Emily know that Vera was ready to leave, and then headed down to the girl’s room to grab her bag.

“Be good for Vera, yeah?” Bridget reminded her niece every time she left her with someone even though there was never any trouble. “She’ll bring you back tomorrow after lunch, okay?” Emily nodded and Bridget gave her a kiss on the cheek goodbye.

“Thanks so much for today Vera. If there’s any problem tonight, just give me a call.” She gave her friend a hug and a kiss on the cheek just as Franky returned with Emily’s things.

“Oh it’s no problem. I’m sure we’ll be fine.” She took the bag from Franky. “See you tomorrow. You two have fun!” She winked and then was out the door.

Back in the kitchen, Franky set out a row of shot glasses, a couple of salt shakers and a bowl of lime wedges. She moved down the line of glasses with the bottle of tequila, filling each one.

Once everyone had collected their glass, Franky raised hers in the air, “Okay, happy birthday on three! One….two…..three…”

“Happy Birthday!” Everyone shouted and took their shot. Bridget shook her head back and forth feeling the burn of the tequila going down her throat.

A few moments later, after the guests had cleared out, Bridget poured two more shots and handed one to Franky. Just as the brunette was about to drink hers, Bridget stopped her.

“Wait a second, baby.” She grabbed Franky’s shirt and pulled her in for a smouldering kiss, then began a trail down the brunette’s neck. She reached for the salt, sprinkling some where she had just kissed. She reached over to the bowl on the counter and picked up a lime wedge, holding it up to Franky’s mouth. The younger woman raised one eyebrow at her girlfriend as she took the wedge between her teeth.

Bridget picked up her shot glass. She leaned in and ran her tongue along the line of salt on the brunette’s neck then tipped her head back, downing her tequila. She moved her left hand to the nape of Franky’s neck, pulling her down slightly to meet her so she could take the lime with her mouth.

Franky eyes locked with the blonde’s briefly before she began kissing down her neck, sucking gently in spots along the way. When she reached the base of Bridget’s neck, she moved along her collarbone, nipping slightly then soothing it with her tongue. She grabbed the salt shaker off the counter and tipped it upside down, letting some of the salt stick to where her lips had just been and Bridget picked up a lime wedge from the bowl.

“Ready?” Franky asked. The older woman nodded and Franky bent down and licked the salt from her collarbone, continuing with her lips, back up the blonde’s neck, causing her to tip her head back then ended by scraping her teeth lightly against Bridget’s jaw below her ear.

“Mmmm, god, I could let you do that all night.” Bridget gasped. Franky smirked and the blonde placed the lime wedge between her teeth. She tipped back her shot of tequila, then took the lime from her girlfriend’s mouth. She reached over, placing the lime peel and empty glass on the kitchen island, then snaked an arm around the blonde’s waist, pulling her close.

“Want me to do it again?” The brunette asked cheekily, reaching for the bottle of tequila to refill their glasses.

“Mmmm yes,” Bridget sighed “but I think we’ve had enough of that.” She tilted her head towards the bottle. “I don’t want either of us passing out early tonight. I have plans.”

“Oh, do you?” Franky’s eyes went wide in mock surprise. The blonde smiled and nodded. “Well, in that case, maybe….” She reached over to her right, opening the fridge door and grabbing the container of extra frosting from earlier.

“Franky…” Bridget narrowed her eyes at her girlfriend.

“Relax, Gidge.” Franky opened the container and dipped in two fingers, taking a generous amount of frosting and spread it along the blonde’s collarbone where she had placed the salt earlier. The cool feeling of the frosting mixed with the warm caress of Franky’s lips and tongue was making goosebumps rise on her skin.

When the brunette pulled back, Bridget reached into the container, taking some frosting then leaving a trail of it down Franky’s neck with her fingers. She began working her way up with her lips and at the halfway point gave a small bite; not enough to hurt or leave a mark, but sharp enough that it made the younger woman gasp and let out a small moan.

Bridget moved her head back to look at Franky. The brunette was distracted enough by her blue eyes that she didn’t notice that the blonde had gotten more frosting and before she realized what was happening, Bridget brought her hand to Franky’s face and smeared it all across her cheek and the side of her nose, giggling at the look of surprise on her girlfriend’s face.

Stunned for a moment, the brunette quickly recovered, “Oh it’s on now.” She grabbed a handful of the frosting and Bridget took off, running to the other side of the kitchen island. Franky chased her for a second then quickly changed directions so she’s meet her head on. She caught the blonde, putting an arm around her waist and holding the smaller woman against her. She looked at Bridget for a moment with a cheeky grin, letting the older woman squirm for a moment and wonder what her fate would be.

“Franky….” Bridget giggled, “Franky, you wouldn’t…” Just then, the brunette brought her hand that was holding the frosting to Bridget’s left cheek and spread the sugary mixture all the way across her chin and opposite cheek.

They both laughed until they had tears in their eyes, and when the laughter died down, it was Bridget who eventually broke the comfortable silence. “I want to take you to bed. Let’s get cleaned up.”

Franky placed a kiss on the blonde’s lips and they headed to the bathroom to wash up.

As soon as they entered the bedroom, Bridget pushed Franky up against the wall and kissed her hard. She ran her hands down the brunette’s neck and across her shoulders, letting her jacket fall to the floor. The blonde pulled away, tugging on Franky’s bottom lip with her teeth, and reached down to rid her of her t-shirt.

The younger woman immediately moved her lips to Bridget’s neck as she moved her hands around to the blonde’s back to unzip her dress. Pushing it down Bridget’s body, she followed with her lips, capturing a nipple in her mouth on the way. Franky moved her lips down the blonde’s ribcage eliciting a sharp gasp from the other woman. Bridget felt her grin against her skin.

“I found another one of your spots.” The brunette murmured.

“Mmmm, you did, baby.” Bridget sighed.

Franky continued down the blonde’s stomach and finally pushed the dress down over her hips so that it pooled on the floor around her feet. “Shit, Gidge.” Bridget gave a low laugh because she knew that Franky had just discovered that she hadn’t been wearing any underwear. She looked down to be met with darkened green eyes. She had intended to be in total control tonight, but as she felt the brunette’s hand running up the inside of her thigh and then along the length of her slit, she thought that maybe that part could wait for just a couple minutes longer.

Bridget felt herself being turned and gently pushed back against the wall. Franky ran her hand down the outside of the blonde’s right thigh, down to the back of her knee and lifted, placing it over her shoulder. She turned her head, kissing the inside of Bridget’s thigh, moving towards her centre. She ran her tongue along the blonde’s slit, tasting her for the first time that night. Franky moaned as she wrapped her lips around the other’s woman clit, sucking and licking gently.

“Franky…”The blonde closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the wall behind her. Between the foreplay of the body shots and frosting and Franky’s amazing tongue, she was already feeling her orgasm starting to build in the pit of her stomach. It would have been easy for her to stay there and get lost in what the brunette was doing to her. She forced herself to open her eyes and look down at the woman between her legs. She reached down and tangled her hand in the younger woman’s hair, signalling for her to stand up.

“Everything okay, Gidge?”

The blonde nodded and pulled Franky in for a kiss, tasting herself. She reached down unbuttoning the brunette’s pants and lowering the zipper before slipping her hand inside Franky’s underwear. She could feel the wetness that had already coated the brunette’s folds and soaked through the thin material. She drew slow circles around the younger woman’s clit and moved her mouth beside her ear.

“Take these off and get on the bed.” Franky whimpered at the command and nodded her head.

Bridget withdrew her hand and retrieved the bag containing her purchase from earlier that day. Seeing that Franky was already laying on the bed, she removed her heels and got on top of her, straddling the brunette’s hips. She placed the bag beside them on the bed and leaned forward, grasping both of Franky’s hands and moving them above her head, pinning them against the bed.

She placed a teasing kiss on the brunette’s lips, pulling back when Franky tried to recapture her mouth, wanting more. “Patience, baby.” Bridget murmured, smiling against her girlfriend’s lips. “I bought us something today.”

“Oh? What did you buy?” The brunette asked, raising her hips against Bridget, trying to get any bit of friction or relief that she could.

“Close your eyes.” Franky did as the blonde instructed her to, and she heard Bridget take something out of the bag beside them, letting it fall to the floor empty, and felt the older woman’s weight lift off her.

Bridget had gotten everything ready when she was in the bedroom putting on her dress earlier in the evening. She stepped into the harness and placed it around her hips, securing the straps tightly. She climbed back onto the bed, laying on top of the brunette.

Franky’s eyes flew open feeling the toy, that the blonde was wearing, against her body. “Gidge….”

“You good, baby?” Bridget checked in with the brunette, having felt her breathing and heart rate pick up.

“Mmhmm.” Franky hummed, smiling. “Just a bit surprised.”

“You haven’t seen anything yet, baby.” Bridget kissed the brunette, swiping her tongue along Franky’s bottom lip, asking for entry which was granted immediately.

The blonde reached down between their two bodies and once again found the wetness that was waiting there. She moved her fingers up and down over the brunette’s folds, dipping in teasingly every once in awhile, causing the younger woman to moan and try to push herself down onto them. When she was satisfied that the brunette was wet enough, she guided the strap-on to Franky’s entrance and pushed forward slightly. The brunette let out a shuddering breath and reached down to cup Bridget’s ass, trying to pull her into her further, but the blonde wouldn’t give in.

“Gidge, please.” Franky’s voice was full of a need that the blonde had never heard before.

“Please, what, baby?” Bridget lowered her head to suck on the brunette’s left nipple. Franky groaned beneath her as she pulled back slightly, then pushed in a little more than before.

“Oh god.”

Bridget had moved on to the opposite nipple now, continuing to take her time. She was still waiting for Franky to say what she wanted to hear. “Tell me what you want me to do.”

Franky Doyle rarely ever gave up control, let alone begged, but with Bridget, it was different. “Gidge, just fuck me.”

With that, Bridget raised herself up on her elbows and pushed the strap-on the rest of the way in, watching Franky’s face as she went. She began to move slowly in and out, peppering kisses all over the brunette’s neck, face and shoulders and eliciting small moans and gasps from the woman underneath her. They soon found their rhythm and the blonde could feel Franky’s pulse beating rapidly under her lips as they pressed against her neck. She could feel the other woman’s nails dig into her back slightly each time she pulled out and began her next thrust back inside.

“You like that, baby?” Bridget asked huskily in the brunette’s ear.

“Fuck, it feels so good, just…..ah, fuck…just…faster, babe.”

Bridget sped up, raising herself up on her arms slightly to get more leverage. Franky was impossibly wet at this point, and the only sounds that could be heard in the room were their rapid breathing and the sound of the toy moving in and out of her.

The blonde dipped her head down to kiss Franky fully on the lips, and moved her tongue against the brunette’s. She moved her lips to the younger woman’s jaw and kissed along the length of it until she got to her earlobe. She took it between her lips then let her teeth graze over it as she pulled away.

Franky grunted. “Gidge, fuck….I’m gonna come.”

She shifted her weight, reaching down between them to move her finger back and forth over Franky’s clit. Bridget sucked hard on the brunette’s neck and gave a sharp bite. That was all it took for Franky to dig her fingers in the blonde’s back as she cried out, her body shaking, releasing all the tension that had been building up.

Bridget slowed her pace as the waves of pleasure washing over Franky subsided. When she was still again, she planted a gentle kiss on her lips, feeling the brunette’s breath tickle her face as she tried to regulate her breathing.

“Fuck….” It was the only word that Franky could utter at the moment.

“Was that good, baby?” Bridget asked, giggling and slowly pulling the strap-on out of her girlfriend, moving to lay by her side.

“Mmmm.” Franky gave a contented hum as she laid on her back with her eyes still closed.

“Have I fucked you speechless?” She laughed.

“I think you might have, Gidge. It’s a first.” Franky smiled, turning to capture the blonde’s lips for a slow, lingering kiss. “Time for me to repay the favour.” The brunette reached down, tugging on the strap of the harness.

Bridget got up and unbuckled the harness, stepping out of it. She motioned for the brunette to get up and stand in front of her. She held the harness while Franky stepped into it and waited for her to adjust it on her hips. When the younger woman was done, Bridget placed her hand on the middle of the other woman’s chest and pushed her back onto the bed.

“Lay down.”

Franky did as she was told and before she knew what was happening, Bridget was straddling her waist, with the toy behind her. She raised herself up and positioned the toy at her entrance. Holding eye contact with the brunette, she lowered herself onto the dildo and began riding it at a slow, steady pace. She immediately felt Franky’s hands on her body, sliding up her sides over her ribcage and finally coming to rest on her breasts. The brunette squeezed the older woman’s breasts and pinched each nipple causing the blonde to let her head fall back, mouth open.

She watched, mesmerized, as Bridget continued to move herself on the strap-on. Franky ran her fingertips down the blonde’s stomach and over her hips, letting her left hand come to rest there while her right continued until it found Bridget’s clit. She drew small circles, causing her name to spill from the blonde’s lips.

Bridget was clearly well on her way to her orgasm after the events of the night and Franky, craving more contact, sat up so that the blonde was sitting in her lap. She continued her movements on Bridget’s clit and moved her hand to the nape of her neck, pulling the older woman in for a kiss.

Bridget felt like her body was on overload. She could feel the strap-on moving inside her, Franky’s fingers on her clit, her hand on her neck holding her close and her tongue in her mouth gently massaging. It all became too much, too fast and the blonde’s orgasm hit her like a train. Franky’s hand moved from her neck down to her back, pulling her close and the blonde wrapped both arms around the younger woman’s shoulders, hanging on for dear life.

As she came down, she felt Franky’s lips on her cheek, then beside her ear, and her fingers trailing slowly up and down her back. She heard a quiet “I love you, Gidge” whispered in her ear and pulled back, looking into green eyes.

“I love you too.”

They shared another long, lazy kiss then Bridget pushed herself up and off Franky’s lap. She helped the brunette out of the harness and dropped it over the side of the bed to deal with in the morning. As she lay on her side, near sleep, she felt Franky pull her towards her and wrap her in her arms. The last thing she heard as she drifted off to sleep was “Happy birthday, Gidge.”

********

The next morning, Franky woke to find the bed beside her was empty. She picked her head up looking at the clock, and realized she had slept well past the hour when she normally wakes up. She could hear Bridget in the kitchen and the smell of fresh coffee had made it to the bedroom.

She laid there for a moment, thinking back to her conversation with Vera, _“Don’t fuck it up.”_. Those words had been echoing in her mind ever since. She knew she was shit at being in a relationship in the past, but she’d worked hard to get past what had happened to her as a child and knew now how to control her anger after the incident on the TV show. There was one thing though that she felt she’d not been honest about with Bridget. She hadn’t told her about the note that Kim left mentioning Emily. She hadn’t told her that she knew where the blonde and her niece lived. She hadn’t heard anything from Kim in a few weeks, but she had heard through a friend of a friend, that Kim was away on holiday and she was worried that things would pick up again when she came back. She knew Bridget might still be mad at her for waiting this long to say anything, but she knew that by waiting even longer it would only make it worse if Kim did in fact show up again.

She decided that she needed to talk with Bridget and get it all out in the open. They didn’t have a lot of time together without Emily being in the house so she wanted to take advantage of the time they had left before Vera brought her back. She grabbed some clothes from the dresser and headed out into the kitchen.

She was greeted by Bridget pouring a mug of coffee for her. “Good morning, baby.”

“Morning,” she put an arm around the blonde’s waist and gave her a kiss on the cheek, taking the mug that was handed to her, “Thanks, babe.”

She sat down on one of the orange stools at the kitchen island across from Bridget, who was leaning back against the opposite counter beside the oven. She took a mouthful of coffee, looking out into the backyard and watching the morning sun hitting the leaves on the plants. There was no good way to start this conversation.

“Gidge,” she began, “there’s something I need to tell you.”

Bridget’s posture immediately became tense, as she stood up taller and gripped her mug of coffee tighter.

“There’s this woman..” Before she got any further, Bridget’s eyes snapped up and locked with hers. “No, no, not like that. I promise, nothing like that.” She knew right away where the blonde’s mind had gone, and reminded herself to choose her words more carefully. “Hear me out?”

Bridget nodded and moved around the island to sit on the stool beside Franky, and turned to face her.

“Before I met you, there was this woman. She’s kind of in my circle of acquaintances that I hung out with. A few of them were friends, but mostly they were just people I’d end up partying or hanging out with. There was this one, Kim. I knew she liked me and I kept seeing her around. One night I ended up fucking her in the bathroom of the bar we were at.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bridget wince slightly and shift on the stool. She continued, “Anyway, after that, she said she wanted to hang out, get to know each other. She seemed alright so we set up a date. I wasn’t really expecting it to go anywhere, but I thought, ‘hey why not?’. It was supposed to happen the night of Em’s first class. I ended up calling and canceling on her to stay at the Centre and she was pretty pissed off. Then I ended up having supper with you and that was when I knew that I didn’t want anything with her anymore. Instead of calling her and being upfront, I avoided her and ignored her calls and messages. That was probably a bit of an asshole move on my part. A couple days later she shows up before one of my classes, upset, and I tell her that we’re done and I’ve met someone else and not to call me anymore. As you can imagine, again, she wasn’t happy.” Franky paused, looking over at Bridget who’d been silent all this time. She couldn’t read the expression on her face but the blonde nodded for her to continue, so she did. “The night after our first date at my place, she showed up. You had barely left, and I thought it was you coming back for something you’d forgotten, but when I opened the door, it was her. She said she’d seen you leave, passed you in the hallway and asked if you were the reason I’d called things off with her. I told her yes and she started making a scene in the hallway and pushed her way into my apartment. She threw some shit around then stormed out. I was cleaning up when you called and well, you know the rest of that night. I wasn’t really worried though until the day we went to the park. I had blocked her number by that point and I ran into her at the coffee shop on my way here that morning. She must have followed me because there was a note on my car when we got back saying that my girlfriend had a cute kid and it would be a shame if something happened to her.”

“She thinks Emily is my daughter.” It was the first thing Bridget had said since Franky started talking. “And she knows where we live.”

They were more statements than questions but Franky nodded yes to both anyway.

“I’m so sorry, Gidge. I knew she was crazy, but not like stalker crazy. I thought she’d just mess with me a bit and then get bored. Maybe that’s still all she’s doing. She hasn’t come near either of you, and I haven’t seen or heard from her since that day she left the note.” Franky looked up nervously at the blonde.

“So why tell me now? Why not earlier or why not at all?” Bridget asked and Franky sensed that it was very important how she answered. Don’t fuck it up.

“I didn’t tell you before because I felt like I needed to deal with things on my own. I’m not used to having anyone on my side. Then after last night, that changed.”

“What made it change?” The blonde asked, setting her mug down on top of the island.

“When we said we love each other. I’ve never said that to someone before, never felt it.” Franky felt like there was so much more she wanted to say but didn’t have the words for it.

Bridget was quiet for a moment and the tears started down Franky’s face. The brunette was waiting for her to yell and scream and throw her out. Instead, the blonde reached up, cupping Franky’s cheek in her hand, “Don’t keep stuff from me anymore, okay?” She leaned in and gave the brunette a quick but reassuring kiss.

Franky let out a huge breath she was holding and nodded. “Holy fuck, I thought you were going to break up with me.” She gave a small laugh.

“Keep something like that from me again, and I will. And from now on, if you even so much as think that she’s anywhere near you, me, or Em, you need to tell me immediately, got it?” The blonde was holding Franky’s stare.

“I promise.”

“Okay. Let’s finish breakfast and get this place cleaned up. Em will be back soon.” Bridget got up and started putting the glasses from last night in the dishwasher.

“Also, Vera told me she knew where to hide a body if I fuck things up with you.”

The blonde burst out laughing, “Yeah, she probably does.”

They worked to finish clearing the mess from the party, ate some brunch and took a shower together before Vera was due back with Emily.

********

Just after lunch, Vera and Emily arrived back. Bridget greeted them at the door, taking her niece’s bag from Vera after a quick hug from the child before she was down the hall to find Franky.

“How was everything?” Bridget asked her friend.

“Oh it was good. We had a snack and watched the movie. She fell asleep pretty soon after that. Then we watched it again while we had breakfast.” Vera’s eye caught the necklace that Bridget was still wearing. “That’s lovely.” She said, reaching out to touch it.

“A birthday gift from Franky.” Bridget smiled, remembering when the brunette gave it to her last night. “Come in for a minute? Have a cuppa?”

“Uh, sure, yes, I’d love to.” Vera followed the blonde into the kitchen where Franky poured them each a cup of tea and they headed over to sit in the living room.

“Thanks for looking after Em.” Franky said, sitting down beside Bridget and putting her arm around her shoulders.

“Oh, anytime. I hope you two enjoyed the rest of the evening.” Vera took a sip of her tea.

“Oh we did.” Franky winked at her and noticed a blush creep into the governor’s cheeks. She knew very well that Vera was talking about the rest of the party but she couldn’t resist messing with her just a little bit.

Just then Emily entered the kitchen. “Franky, can we make those cookies today?”

“Which ones, bub?” She asked from the living room.

“The ones we have the extra frosting for.” She opened the fridge door and looked inside for a second. “Where is it?”

Franky and Bridget looked at each other wide eyed while Vera looked between the two of them with a knowing smile on her face.

“Did you and Auntie Bridge eat it last night?” She came around the corner with a very serious look on her face. Meanwhile, Bridget and Vera were trying to contain their laughter by hiding behind their mugs, leaving Franky to field this on her own.

“Uh, yeah bub, sorry, we got hungry after the party.” It wasn’t a total lie, Franky reasoned. “We can make some more though, and you can even pick a different colour if you want.”

“Did it make your tummy hurt?” She asked innocently.

“No, nah, we were okay.” Franky sat down her mug and got up, leading Em back to the kitchen, hoping to distract her from the missing frosting by starting the cookies. She wasn’t about to explain that more of it ended up on them rather than in them.

“But there was a lot left.” The kid wasn’t giving up.

Franky slapped a recipe down on the counter. “Read this to me and tell me what we need.”

Emily started to list the ingredients and Franky reached the ones that were in the high cabinets for her.

Vera moved to sit beside Bridget.

“You staying for cookies then?’ Bridget laughed.

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

They both laughed and drank their tea, watching Franky and Emily bake their treats in the kitchen.


	11. Chapter 11

It was Sunday evening, and Franky, Bridget and Emily had spent the afternoon with Vera, enjoying the treats that Emily and Franky had made for everyone. Now, the three of them were relaxing, sitting on the floor around the coffee table, playing a board game that Emily had brought with her, Monopoly Junior. Emily was clearly in the lead, owning most of the businesses on two sides of the board. Franky rolled a three and landed on the Movie Theatre.

“That’ll be three dollars.” She held out her hand to Franky to collect her money.

“It doesn’t even say what movie is playing. Don’t I have a choice whether or not I want to see it?” The brunette was down to her last few dollars, and her competitive side was coming out.

“No, Franky. If you land on it, then you have to pay.” Bridget held up the pamphlet with the rules printed on it.

“I just think the game should be realistic, that’s all. You don’t automatically get sucked into a movie theatre when you walk by and are forced to watch whatever movie happens to be playing.” She gave a small laugh, picturing in her mind the scene she’d just painted.

“You’re a ship, with eyes, sailing through the streets, eating pizza, and watching movies. Nothing about this is realistic. Pay the girl, baby.” The blonde said, smiling.

“Yeah!” Emily pointed to her outstretched hand, and Franky paid her the money she owed.

After a couple more trips around the board, the two women had lost all of their money, and Emily happily declared herself the winner. They packed up the game and Emily carried it back to her room to put away.

Bridget moved over to sit beside Franky and pulled her in for a kiss. A smile came across Franky’s face as their lips parted and the blonde kept her hand on the nape of the younger woman’s neck, playing with the short hair that had fallen out of her ponytail. Bridget rested her forehead against Franky’s.

“I should get going.” The brunette sighed. While it was a holiday for Bridget and Emily with them both having the next day off, Franky had agreed to help out a friend at her restaurant after her chef injured his arm and would be out for a few days.The restaurant was closer to her apartment, and she didn’t want to wake the other two when she left in the morning since they would be able to sleep in, so she had decided that she’d spend the night at her place.

The blonde nodded, and Franky knew that she didn’t want her to go. They hadn’t spent many nights apart since they’d started dating, and surprisingly, that didn’t bother the brunette at all.

Emily returned to the living room. “Can we have a sleepover tonight?” She asked Franky.

“A sleepover? You live here right now, bub. You can’t have a sleepover in your own house.” The brunette explained to her.

“But you don’t.” The small blonde said, matter of fact.

“No…”

“So you can have a sleepover here. And we can watch a movie.” Emily looked at her like it was a done deal and there was no way Franky could reason her way out of this.

“I’m really sorry, but I can’t tonight. I promised a friend that I’d help her, and I have to be there really early in the morning. And the place I have to be is really close to where I live.” As she was explaining this, she saw the girl’s face drop as she looked down at the rug they were sitting on.

“Okay.” Emily got up and walked down the hall towards her room.

“Fuck.” Franky muttered. She looked over at Bridget, who placed her hand on the brunette’s knee to try to comfort her.

Franky did want to spend the night. She always slept better when Bridget was next to her, and she hated seeing the disappointment on the little girl’s face. She got up and walked to Emily’s room. She was sitting on the floor, drawing.

Franky leaned against the door frame. “I’ll stay and have a sleepover with you tonight, okay? But I really do have to leave early in the morning.” The girl ran to Franky and threw her arms around her waist. The brunette smiled, “Okay. Why don’t you change into your pjs, and I’ll go put mine on then we’ll watch the movie?”

She heard Emily run down the hall while she was in the bedroom changing.

“Auntie Bridge! Franky said she’d stay tonight!” The child ran up to Bridget, who was still sitting on the living room floor. “And she said we could have a sleepover. Can you help me get the sleeping bags for us?”

“Sleeping bags? Love, you both have beds here to sleep in.” Bridget was trying, but failing to follow the young girl’s train of thought.

“But for a sleepover, you sleep in sleeping bags.”

Bridget thought for a moment, then headed to the closet in the spare bedroom to get the requested sleeping bags. She brought them back to the living room, then spread them out on the floor after dragging the coffee table to the edge of the room to make some open space. She placed some pillows from the couch on the floor with them and went to the kitchen to prepare a snack for the two to have while they watched the movie.

Franky made her way to the kitchen after changing her clothes and looked over to the living room, seeing the two sleeping bags laid out.

“Uh, Gidge?”

“Uh, Franky?” She answered, knowing exactly what the brunette was going to say.

The younger woman walked up beside her and spoke low enough so Emily wouldn’t hear her. “What’s going on here?”

“A sleepover.” She held out a strawberry that she was putting onto a plate with some other fruits for their snack and the brunette took it between her teeth, letting it fall into her mouth.

She chewed for a moment. “Yeah I can see that but….”

“But what, baby?”

“I thought after the movie, I’d be sleeping with you.” Franky did her best puppy dog eyes.

“Oh no, don’t even start with that look.” Bridget laughed. “She invited you to sleep over, not me. You know the saying ‘Dance with the one who brought you’?” Franky nodded. “Then you’re sleeping out here with her tonight, baby.” She gave her girlfriend a peck on the cheek and carried the food over to the living room, placing it down between the two makeshift sleeping areas. “I’m going to take my laptop into the office and catch up on some work. You guys enjoy the movie!”

“What are we watching tonight, bub?” Franky asked settling into her sleeping bag.

“Despicable Me!” Emily said excitedly.

“Right on, start it up.” Franky told her and the girl pressed play on the remote.

They made it through the first movie and the suggestion for the second movie popped up on the screen so Franky clicked ‘ok’. It looked to her like Emily was almost asleep so she figured she’d give it a few more minutes before it was safe to sneak into Bridget’s bedroom.

Just before midnight, Bridget quietly exited the office and saw that Emily and Franky were both fast asleep with the movie still playing on the TV. She didn’t want to risk waking them so she decided to leave it on and headed to her bedroom. She changed into her pjs, slipped under the covers and was fast asleep in no time.

Franky woke up to a completely dark room. She figured she must have fallen asleep sometime during the second movie. She fumbled for her phone and when she found it, she pushed the button to illuminate the screen so that she could check the time. It was one in the morning. Her back was already sore and she knew if she stayed there any longer, she wouldn’t be able to move in the morning. She turned on the flashlight on her phone, and carefully made her way down the hall to where Bridget was sleeping.

She turned off the light on her phone, now able to see with the moonlight coming in through the partially open curtains. She lifted the blankets and crawled in gently behind Bridget. The blonde immediately pressed her back against Franky, letting herself become the little spoon.

“Thought you were supposed to be sleeping out there tonight,” She said in a sleepy voice.

“Gidge, I can’t. My back is already killing me. I’ll go back out in the morning before she wakes up, she’ll never know,” the brunette explained.

“Okay, baby.”

“Besides, don’t you miss me?” Franky kissed the back of the blonde’s neck.

“Mmm, always.” Bridget reached back, finding Franky’s hand and bringing it to her mouth. She kissed each of her fingertips and heard Franky’s breath hitch.

The brunette moved her hand down until she found where Bridget’s t-shirt met her shorts and pushed her fingers underneath the fabric. She started to trace patterns on the older woman’s stomach, placing kisses along the back of her neck. Franky’s hand moved down and her fingertips started to slip beneath the elastic band on the blonde’s shorts.

Bridget gently placed her hand on top of Franky’s. “Wait.”

Franky stopped her movement. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m just a little sore from last night,” the blonde said, turning onto her other side, so they were now face to face.

“I’m sorry, Gidge.” Franky remembered how they had both probably gotten more carried away than normal, but she never intended to hurt the blonde.

Bridget smiled, “I’m not. I loved every second of it. But maybe just tonight can we keep it, you know?” She motioned to the area of her body above her waist.

“So you just want to make out like a couple of high school kids?” Franky raised her eyebrows with a smirk.

“Mmhmm.” Bridget hesitated. “If that’s okay?”

“Of course, Gidge.” Franky smiled, giving her a small kiss. 

Bridget reached out and traced the lines of the tattoo on Franky’s right arm, making goosebumps appear on her skin. “I like these.”

“Why do you like them?” Franky asked her quietly.

“That first night I met you,” Bridget began, “Em was so excited about you, and she told me that you had let someone draw on your arm. I remember looking over and wanting to know if there were any other ones hiding under that chef’s jacket…or anywhere else.”

“Having impure thoughts right from the moment you met me, were you?” Franky teased her, making the blonde’s cheeks turn a light pink.

“Mmmm, maybe.” Bridget hummed. “You mean to tell me that you weren’t?”

“Of course not!” The brunette pretended to act offended by Bridget’s assumption, then gave a small laugh. “The second time I saw you, the first time we kissed, I just wanted to fuck you right there in the kitchen.” Franky saw the blonde’s eyes darken.

“I probably would have let you if we’d been alone,” the older woman confessed, causing a cocky smirk to appear on the brunette’s face.

“You deserved better than that though, so I’m glad we didn’t.” Franky didn’t normally share her feelings. Usually, she didn’t have any feelings like this to share anyway, but something about this woman made her feel like she’d drank a truth serum.

“Me too, baby.”

Franky pulled the blonde close and replaced her hand under her shirt, this time moving up to cup Bridget’s right breast. She felt the nipple harden against her palm as the older woman let out a low moan. The brunette removed her hand and took the nipple between her thumb and index finger, pinching it gently as she nipped at Bridget’s bottom lip.

“Fuck, Franky,” the blonde said breathlessly.

“Did you know that some people believe that stimulation of the nipples alone can lead to orgasm? Do you think that’s true, Gidge?” Franky asked, pinching Bridget’s nipple again.

“Ah….Well, uh….a large part of the female orgasm is the um, mental component so I’d say it’s definitely possible.”

“I reckon it’s something worth looking into,” the brunette said with a cheeky grin.

Bridget lazily kissed Franky, letting her hands wander over the brunette’s body. Tonight wasn’t about sex or orgasms, it was about just being there together.

The blonde let her hand slip under Franky’s shirt, dragging her fingers over the younger woman’s hips and around to the centre of her back. She let her fingers move back and forth over the small dip in the middle. Franky shivered and arched her back, pushing herself into Bridget’s front.

“That feels really good,” Franky mumbled against Bridget’s lips. The blonde had guessed as much by the reaction she had gotten, but there was something about hearing the other woman say it that made it so sexy.

Bridget traced the brunette’s spine with her middle finger all the way up to a spot between her shoulder blades, and drew patterns there lightly with her fingernail, eliciting a breathy ‘fuck’ from Franky. The movement of her arm had made the younger woman’s shirt ride up, exposing her right breast. Bridget dipped her head and captured her already erect nipple between her lips and sucked gently, alternating between small bites with her teeth and then soothing the sting with her tongue.

When the blonde repositioned herself slightly to move her mouth to Franky’s left breast, her thigh fell in between the brunette’s legs causing friction there.

“Oh fuck,” Franky whispered as Bridget felt a tremor run through the brunette’s body.

She moved her hand back down to the sensitive spot on Franky’s lower back that she’d found earlier and applied a gentle pressure, trying to silently communicate to the other woman to move against her thigh again, all the while continuing her movements with her mouth.

Franky was close after everything the blonde had been doing to her and when she made contact with Bridget’s leg, she knew it had been unintentional, but fuck it felt good. She felt the older woman’s hand move to her lower back again, and a jolt went through her body right to her fingertips. It took her a moment to realize that Bridget was trying to get her to move against her thigh again. As Franky began to rock her hips, she knew she wouldn’t last long. She looked down at Bridget, locking eyes with her. She rocked her hips one final time and her eyes snapped shut as she turned her head into the pillow, trying to be quiet, so as that Emily wouldn’t hear them, as her orgasm rushed over her. 

Bridget pulled Franky’s shirt back down as she left kisses along the brunette’s neck. “I’d say that theory is at least partially true.”

“Fuck, Gidge.” Franky gave a small laugh, still catching her breath. “I thought we were just messing around tonight.”

“We were, but sometimes stuff just happens. Besides, I always play to win, baby.” Bridget gave the brunette a wink.

“How did I ever find you?” Franky laughed, but there was a seriousness behind her words.

Bridget smiled and shrugged. “Maybe it was a random series of events. My brother going away, looking after Em, signing her up for your class, the lockdown at Wentworth that first night. Or maybe it was fate and it would have happened in some way no matter what.”

“Of all the kitchens, in all the towns, in all the world, you had to walk into mine.” Franky joked, reciting the classic movie line.

“Mmhmm.” The blonde laughed.

Franky knew that Bridget wasn’t feeling up to doing certain things tonight, but she also knew that she still wanted to make her feel good. She kissed her as her hand reached down to pull up the blonde’s shirt, exposing her stomach and chest. She worked her way down, paying attention to each nipple and finally letting her lips settle on the sensitive area on the side of the older woman’s ribcage.

The brunette reached down and ran the back of her index finger up and down over the soft skin between the blonde’s naval and the top of her shorts. She felt the muscles twitch under her touch and she began the journey with her lips down to where her hand was working. She felt Bridget’s hand tangle in her hair, stilling her movements, and guessed she must be doing something there that the blonde liked.

A few seconds later, they heard the door knob turn. Bridget quickly pulled her shirt back down even though she was under the covers and her back was to the door. Franky lifted her head and looked over Bridget.

She could see Emily standing there. “Hey, Em.” The girl walked up beside the bed. “What do you need, bub?”

“Why did you leave?” Emily asked, her voice still heavy with sleep.

“My back hurt from sleeping on the floor so I came in here where it’s more comfortable.” Franky went with the mostly honest answer.

“Mine hurts too,” the young girl said.

Bridget turned over so that she was now facing Emily as well. “Do you want to go sleep in your bed instead then? I’ll clean up the living room in the morning.”

“What about the sleepover?” the girl asked her aunt.

“Maybe we can do it another time and make it more comfortable for you guys out there?” Bridget was trying to gently offer a solution so the girl would leave and go back to sleep, but Emily just shook her head. “What do you want to do then, love?”

“I want to sleep here.”

Bridget turned her head and looked behind her at Franky. “It’s okay,” the brunette said, kissing her temple.

The blonde moved back into Franky more and patted the space in front of her but Emily shook her head. The girl climbed up onto the bed, motioning for Bridget to move away from Franky. They now understood that the girl wanted to sleep in between them again like she had the night after the park when she had nightmares.

“Did you have a bad dream again, bub?” Franky asked.

“No,” Emily said settling in between them. After a few minutes, they were all about to drift off to sleep again when the girl whispered, “The minions are creepy.”

Franky looked across the young girl and met Bridget’s eyes. “I knew it,” the brunette mouthed. They both smiled.


	12. Chapter 12

The week had truly been the week from hell. There had been a riot at Wentworth where two prisoners had died, and there had been a handful of overdoses, which had resulted in one death. When Vera and Bridget sat down for lunch on Thursday, it was hard to believe that it was only the third working day of the week.

“It’s times like these that I regret my career choice.” Vera slumped down in her chair at the staffroom table.

Bridget joined her. “It’ll pass, Vera. You can’t let it affect your life outside of here. You’ll go crazy if you do.”

“I know. I just go home, and every day, there’s some incident that just keeps replaying in my mind,” the governor sighed. “Maybe I just need some kind of distraction.”

“That’s not a bad idea actually,” the blonde said, taking a bite of her sandwich. After only three days of Franky helping at her friend’s restaurant, she already missed her meals. “Why don’t we plan a night out?”

“A night out?” Vera couldn’t even remember the last time she’d had a night out except for Bridget’s birthday the week before.

“Yeah, we can go out and have some drinks, dance a bit, blow off some steam. You can ask some of the officers and I’ll get Franky to bring some of her friends. It’ll be fun.” Bridget looked at her expectantly.

“I don’t know…” Vera looked around the room as if the answer would appear written on the wall somewhere. “I suppose it could be fun for a change.”

“Yeah!” Bridget playfully shoved Vera’s shoulder. “I’ll leave the officer invites to you and I’ll let Franky know. And I’ll have to find someone to stay with Em, but that’s my problem, I’ll get it sorted.”

“Righto.” Vera nodded as Bridget packed up her empty lunch containers and headed back to her office.

********

The rest of the day had passed relatively quickly, and Bridget soon found herself on her way to pick up Emily from her cooking class. She arrived a few minutes early, and was waiting at the back of the room for the class to finish when Emily motioned for her to come over to her station.

“Hey, love. What did you make today?” She asked, approaching her niece. “It smells lovely in here.” 

“Cimonim buns.” The young girl struggled with the word.

“Cinnamon?” Bridget corrected her.

“Yeah, that’s what I meant. Here, try one.” She held out a sticky, frosting-covered bun to her aunt.

Bridget took a bite. “Mmmm, this is delicious, Em.”

“She’s a natural.” Franky came up beside Bridget and put her arm around her waist, pulling her into her side.

“She definitely is. Try it.” Bridget held up the bun in front of Franky, who took a bite.

“Oi, good job Em!” Franky exclaimed and the girl’s face lit up.

“You’ve got frosting on your face, baby,” Bridget said, pointing to the corner of her own mouth so that the brunette would know where it was.

Franky swiped at the wrong side of her mouth. “Good?”

Bridget laughed, “No, come here.”

Franky leaned down and the blonde reached up, wiping the frosting away with her thumb. She let her thumb linger on the brunette’s lip, pulling at it gently. “Now, it’s good.” Bridget winked.

“And you must be Bridget,” Liz said, greeting the woman and extending her hand towards her. “Franky’s told us so much about you, love. Good to finally meet you.”

“Aw, likewise Liz. Franky speaks very highly of you.” The blonde reached out with her non-sticky hand and shook Liz’s.

As the children all left, one by one, Franky’s friends made their way over to say hello to Bridget. They were all eager to meet the woman who had captured her heart. Franky was usually never one to go on a second date with someone, let alone get into a relationship. Bridget greeted them all warmly. They all chatted for a minute, then began cleaning up the various stations.

The blonde wrapped her arms around Franky. She wasn’t normally clingy, but she hadn’t seen the brunette much the past few days. “Baby, Vera and I were thinking we should have a night out tomorrow. It’s been crazy at work this week and we just need to decompress. Why don’t you ask your friends to join us? I just need to find someone to watch Em.”

“I can do that.” Liz was cleaning the station next to them and had overheard.

Bridget looked over towards Franky’s friend. “Are you sure? You wouldn’t rather come out with us?”

“No, love. I gave up the bars and clubs long ago. Me and Em will be just fine for the night.” She smiled at Bridget then went back to cleaning.

“Oh that’s so nice of you, thank you, Liz.” The blonde went over and gave the older woman a quick hug. “Franky can give you directions to the house? We won’t be too late getting back.”

“Don’t be silly, take the night for yourselves, you deserve it. Franky’s been working her ass off this week and I can’t even begin to imagine the things you see in your job. I don’t want to see either of you until the next morning, got it?” Liz gave Bridget a serious look that quickly changed to a warm smile.

“Ah, Gidge, don’t even bother trying to argue with Liz. I learned that lesson years ago.” Franky laughed. “We’ll go back to my place after.” The brunette winked at the two woman.

Liz moved on to the next station and Em tagged along to help her. Seeing this, Franky took Bridget by the hand and led her into the office, closing the door behind them.

She pulled the blonde into a tight hug, holding her close. “I’ve missed you this week, Gidge.” She heard Bridget sigh into her neck.

“I’ve missed you too, baby. Are you coming over tonight?” The blonde asked hopefully.

“I’ve got another early shift at the restaurant. This should be the last one though, babe. She’s got someone else to help out for the weekend and the regular guy should be back on Monday.” Bridget lifted her head and Franky could see the disappointment in her eyes. “Just one more night, then I’m yours all weekend, okay?” The blonde nodded and Franky pulled her in for a long, slow kiss.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door and Franky broke away from their embrace to answer it. She opened it to find Allie there with Emily who had all of her stuff packed up and was ready to go home with Bridget.

“Oh thanks so much, Allie.” Bridget said warmly, putting a hand on the younger woman’s arm. “You ready to go, darling?” She asked looking down at Emily, who nodded. She turned to give Franky one last quick kiss before she left.

“Call me tonight before you go to sleep, okay?” The brunette asked as Bridget was heading out. The blonde turned and smiled, giving her girlfriend a small nod.

Once Bridget and Emily were out of sight, Allie turned to Franky. “Wow! Franky, she’s a good one!” The brunette laughed and playfully shoved Allie’s arm as she turned and went back into the classroom.

“No, Franks, I mean it.” The young blonde said, laughing. “And she’s hot!”

Franky chuckled then took a deep breath, letting it out in a big sigh. “I know.” She was quiet for a few seconds. “So does that mean you’ll come out with us tomorrow night?”

“Hell yeah!” Allie replied enthusiastically.

Franky asked Boomer and Bea and they both agreed to go as well. She didn’t know who Bridget was planning to bring, but she assumed Vera would be there and probably a couple of other people who worked with them. It didn’t really matter to her who else was there. She was looking forward to spending the evening with her girlfriend.

********

Friday had come and gone and Bridget and Franky were finally out with their friends. Franky had invited Boomer, Allie and Bea while Bridget had brought Vera, Linda, Will and Fletch. They’d all had a couple of drinks and Franky and Bridget were currently out on the dance floor.

There was a mid-tempo R&B song playing and Bridget was dancing as close to Franky as possible. She had her back against the brunette and was grinding back into the younger woman’s hips. Franky wrapped one arm around Bridget’s waist and held her, while her other moved a strand of hair aside so that she had access to the blonde’s neck. Bridget tilted her head, making it easier for Franky to leave small kisses down the side of it and then on the back of her exposed shoulder. She had chosen a slightly more risqué version of the dress she’d worn for their first date, knowing how much Franky had liked that one, while Franky had chosen tight black jeans and a v-neck t-shirt with a dark grey and black plaid shirt over it.

Franky lifted her eyes and looked towards the booth where some of their friends were sitting. Bea, Linda and Will were having a conversation while Vera sat quietly with her drink. Every few seconds, she’d quickly glance up and look at the two women on the dance floor. Franky caught her eye one of the times she looked over at them and the shy woman quickly looked away, realizing that she had been caught.

Franky turned Bridget around so that they were facing each other and gave her a long, deep kiss. They continued dancing and Franky again noticed Vera discreetly watching them.

“What’s the deal with Vera, Gidge?” Franky asked, moving her lips to the blonde’s ear.

“Mmmm, “ Bridget hummed, “What do you mean, baby?”

“She keeps looking at us and watching us dance.” Franky lowered her head to leave a kiss on the older woman’s shoulder.

“Maybe she’s just thinking that she wants to be out here.” Bridget mumbled.

“Why doesn’t she bring one of the guys out and dance then?”

“I don’t think that’s her thing.” The blonde looked up and kissed Franky.

“Okay then, why doesn’t she bring one of the girls out?” The brunette thought maybe that would be Vera’s thing.

“Vera is just, Vera. I’ve never heard her talk about dating anyone or even liking someone and I’ve known her for years. I think she’s just really shy about it.” The blonde had never realized it until now but it was true that she had never known Vera to have an interest in anyone before.

The brunette was quiet for a minute before she spoke. “She should at least come out and enjoy herself. She’s just been sitting there all night. There must be someone here she’d dance with.”

Hearing Franky’s words, Bridget remembered the morning that she and Vera had sat outside talking while Franky and Emily made breakfast. It was the first time that Vera had met the brunette:

_“she’s just so…So hot!”  
“I can appreciate when someone is attractive and yeah….good choice there!”_

“She’d dance with you,” Bridget said suddenly.

Franky laughed. “What? Why would she dance with me?”

“She thinks you’re hot.” The blonde’s eyes twinkled with mischief and she thought that maybe she shouldn’t have spilled her friend’s secret.

“Gidge, how much have you drank tonight?” The brunette raised her eyebrows.

“I’m not drunk, baby. She told me the first morning that she met you. She’s not into women as far as I know. It’s just…you.” Bridget said the last sentence with a smile on her face, because of course Franky would have that effect on people. The blonde had been drawn to her from the first moment she saw her.

“Yeah I have that effect on women.” Franky joked and the blonde slapped her playfully on her arm.

As the song ended, Bridget gave Franky one last kiss before she turned to go back to their booth. “Why don’t you ask her to dance? I need a break anyway.”

Franky followed the blonde back to their booth and sat down beside Vera while Bridget grabbed some money and headed to the bar for another drink. Vera looked over at the brunette, knowing that she had been caught watching her earlier, and waited nervously for her to say something.

“Come dance with me.” Franky decided that she wouldn’t phrase it as a question so as to not give the governor a chance to decline.

Vera looked down nervously, playing with her glass that was almost empty. “Uh, thank you, but I’m good here,” She said with a small smile.

“Wasn’t a question, come on. Two songs then you can sit here the rest of the night if you want.” Franky stood, reaching down and taking Vera’s hand to lead her out into the crowd. When she didn’t move, the brunette gave a gentle tug once more. “Come on!” She gave a small laugh. Vera smiled nervously, but got up and followed the younger woman.

The first song was up-tempo and, while it took Vera a few seconds, she managed to loosen up a bit and dance with the tall brunette. Franky reached out and put her arm around the smaller woman so that they wouldn’t lose each other in the sea of people. She figured that if they got separated, the other woman would just go back to her seat, and there would be no chance of getting her out there again.

After a couple of minutes, Franky leaned in beside Vera’s ear so that she could be heard and asked, “You good?” She pulled back, waiting for Vera’s response. She gave a quick nod and smiled.

The next song that came on was a slow one and people started either pairing up with their dates or leaving the dance floor until the next song. Vera started to turn away from Franky, but the brunette didn’t release the arm that was around the smaller woman’s waist. “Where are you going?” Franky asked her.

“Um, I just thought, you know, since….” Vera was having trouble finding her words.

“Ah naw, the deal was two songs.” Franky smiled, shaking her head.

“Yes, but maybe I could have a rain check……Bridget…” She pointed towards the booth where Bridget was sat with their friends, sipping her drink.

“Gidge won’t mind.” Franky looked over to her girlfriend and pointed to Vera and then gave a thumbs up, asking if the blonde was okay if she danced this song with her friend. Bridget quickly returned the thumbs up with a smile. “See, all good.”

Vera sighed, “Okay.”

Franky could see that Vera was having trouble deciding where to put her hands, so she helped her out. The brunette took the other woman’s left hand and placed it on her right shoulder, then took Vera’s right hand in her left. Franky replaced her right arm around the smaller woman’s waist, keeping her hand in the middle of her back. After a moment she felt Vera relax a little more.

“You’re good at this.” Vera smiled and glanced up at Franky. “It’s been a long time since I danced with anyone.”

“You need to find yourself a boyfriend to take you out then. I could see if Bridget knows someone who’d be good for you,” The brunette said, leading the pair on the dance floor.

“Uh, no, no boyfriend.” Vera had gotten quiet.

“A girlfriend to take you out?” Franky knew that Bridget said her friend wasn’t into women, but she thought it was worth a shot.

Vera looked at her, hesitating for a moment. She opened her mouth, then closed it without saying anything and looked back toward the floor.

“I could set you up with Allie if you’d like. She’s a sweet girl.” Franky wasn’t usually in the business of setting her friends up with each other, but she was willing to make an exception for Vera.

“No, thank you. That’s very nice of you, but no. I don’t think I’m the type of person anyone is looking for.” Vera took a shaky breath.

Franky sensed that she had hit a sensitive subject and felt bad. She had genuinely just wanted to make Bridget’s friend have some fun and now she was worried that she’d pried too far into her personal life.

“I don’t think that’s true,” Franky said honestly.

“What?” Vera picked her head up again and the brunette could see there were tears starting in her eyes.

“I don’t think what you said is true. Why do you think you’re not anyone’s type?” Franky asked and Vera just shrugged. “You’re smart, you’re funny, you’re nice, you’re good, you’re cute.” She said, raising her eyebrow, waiting for Vera to agree with her. When she didn’t, Franky continued, “I think those are the main things everyone looks for in a partner. So stop being so hard on yourself. You’ll find someone.”

A tear ran down Vera’s cheek and she let go of Franky’s hand for a second to wipe it away. “No one’s said anything like that to me before.”

“Well, they should have.” Franky took Vera’s hand again and Vera rested her head against Franky’s shoulder easily since she was a few inches shorter than the brunette.

The song ended and when the next one began, it was a slower ballad as well. Vera made no move to leave this time and Franky decided that one more dance with her wouldn’t hurt.

When they returned to the booth, Franky took her seat beside Bridget, putting an arm around her, and the blonde melted into her side.

Bridget looked over at her friend and noticed that she looked like she had been crying. “Vera, are you alright?” she asked, concerned.

“Yeah, yes, very much.” Vera smiled at the blonde, then at Franky, and Bridget made a mental note to ask Franky what had happened later when they were home.

********

A couple of hours later, their night at the club came to an end. The friends all said goodbye to each other and Franky and Bridget got in a cab and headed for Franky’s apartment. Franky learned that night, that after a couple of drinks, Bridget got handsy, but she wasn’t complaining. She had to divert the blonde’s hands a couple of times during the cab ride over, and she was currently trying to unlock her apartment door as Bridget reached around from behind her, trying to undo her belt.

“Well, well, well…”

Franky and Bridget both turned, just as Franky got the door open, to see Kim standing behind them. She walked up to Bridget, stopping just inches in front of her, and looked her up and down.

“So this is the new flavour of the month, eh Franky?” Kim asked, looking over Bridget’s shoulder to where Franky was standing behind her.

“Get the fuck out of here, Kim.” Franky growled. She could feel the anger rising inside of her. It was one thing for Kim to come at her, but it was another thing for her to have a go at Bridget in front of her.

“You think you won this?” She spat at the blonde.

“I wasn’t aware there was a competition, but if there was, then yes, it appears that I won.” Bridget looked at her cooly.

Kim scoffed, looking back to Franky. “She’s a downgrade from your usual type. Just some skinny-ass scrag in fancy fucking clothes.”

The brunette stepped forward, putting a hand on Bridget’s shoulder, moving her aside so she could stand between her and Kim.

“You need to shut the fuck up and get out!” Franky screamed the last two words in Kim’s face. A few seconds later, a door down the hall opened and Mrs. Watson once again stuck her head out to be nosy and see what the commotion was all about. Franky turned her head. “Don’t you ever fucking sleep? Go the fuck back inside!” The old woman scowled at her and closed her door.

Kim started again. “You know, now that I finally see her up close, she’s a lot older than I thought.” Franky set her jaw, her eyes burning into Kim’s. “I’d always heard you had mommy issues, but I didn’t realize you worked them out by fucking women old enough to be yours, _Francesca_.” She let the name drip out of her mouth like venom, knowing that Franky hated when people used her full name.

Franky let out a growl and raised her arm, she pulled it back and swung as hard as she could, landing her fist squarely on the doorframe beside Kim’s head. Bridget winced, hearing the sound of bone against wood.

“Alright, alright, I’ll go now.” Kim backed away and started down the hallway. “You two enjoy your night and I’ll see you later.” She laughed as Franky flipped her off.

“Franky.” Bridget reached out to take the brunette’s injured hand. She had split open the skin on two of her knuckles and there was already bruising and swelling.

“Don’t,” Franky said, pulling her hand away and flexing her fingers, making sure that nothing was broken.

“Franky, baby, at least put some ice on it.” She passed the brunette some ice cubes wrapped in a clean towel and Franky placed the bundle on the back of her hand.

Bridget sat on the couch while Franky paced back and forth between the kitchen and living room. Neither had spoken for a good fifteen minutes when Franky broke the silence.

“You’re not going to ask what that was about?” Franky was used to people prodding into her life, trying to figure her out, but Bridget hadn’t said a word yet.

“She pushed your buttons and got under your skin. Sounds like she knows about some things you went through. You haven’t told me about those things yet, but you will, if and when you decide that you’re ready.” The blonde was calm and even more unbelievably, she was still here and that was something Franky didn’t know how to deal with. She didn’t understand why this woman wasn’t long gone out of her life after what had just happened.

Franky paced back and forth, trying to shake off the tension that was still in her muscles. She was trying to remember everything they’d taught her in therapy, but she was having a hard time making any of the strategies work at the moment. 

Bridget sensed that the brunette was having a hard time calming herself down. “Baby.” She stood up, walking over to stand in front of Franky. “What do you normally do to settle yourself?” She was willing to try anything to help her girlfriend out.

“I don’t know, nothing’s fucking working.” Franky was getting more agitated. “All the stuff those fucking therapists told me, it all seems like bullshit right now.”

“What about before that?” Bridget asked calmly.

“What?” Franky stopped pacing and looked up at her.

“What did you do before all the therapists?” the blonde asked.

“Fight or fuck.” Frank chuckled. “You know, for most people it’s fight or flight, but for me, it was fight or fuck.”

Bridget considered this for a moment before she spoke. “Well you can’t punch any more walls because that’s a fight you won’t win.” She opened her arms and Franky just stared at her.

“No….no, Gidge. No way.” She shook her head and turned to walk back into the kitchen.

“Why not?” The blonde hadn’t moved.

“Because that’s not…..I don’t…You’re….” Franky couldn’t get her brain to form the words she wanted to use, but Bridget knew what she was trying to say.

“You’re not going to hurt me.” Bridget truly believed this.

Franky turned and looked at her. “How do you know that?”

“Because I know.” Bridget was still calmly standing her ground. She knew Franky wouldn’t take her up on her offer to fuck her as a way of dealing with her anger, but she needed the brunette to be the one to make that choice; to realize that she really had changed.

“I’m not a good person, Gidge.” Franky said, looking off to a point on the back wall of the apartment.

“Yes, you are.” Franky shook her head, tears streaming down her face, but Bridget wasn’t backing down. “You could have hurt Kim, but you didn’t.” She took a step forward. “You could be fucking me right now if you wanted to, but you’re not.” Another step forward. “If this had been back before you decided that you needed to change, one of those things, or maybe even both, would have happened, yeah?” Franky nodded her head. “And now, they didn’t. So, that’s how I know.”

Franky’s shoulders slumped and a sob escaped her mouth. Bridget rushed forward and wrapped the brunette in her arms. She held her tightly while her body shook, and when Franky’s knees started to give out, the blonde stayed with her and held her as they sat on the kitchen floor.

When Franky’s tears had finally stopped, Bridget reached out and brushed the hair out of the brunette’s face and wiped her tears away. “Let’s go to bed, baby,” she said, kissing the younger woman’s forehead.

Franky nodded, standing up and helping Bridget to her feet. They fell into the brunette’s bed exhausted and hoped that sleep would come quickly and end this day.

********

Franky woke with the first rays of sun that spilled in through the large windows. They hadn’t bothered to close the curtains last night. She opened her eyes to see Bridget laying beside her, staring up at the ceiling, clearly very wide awake.

“Gidge? How long have you been awake?” the brunette asked, trying to clear the sleepiness from her voice.

“I think I slept for about an hour. So, almost 3 hours.” She turned her head to look at the younger woman.

“Babe, I’m sorry about last night. I shouldn’t ha-“

“It wasn’t anything you did,” Bridget interrupted. Her inability to sleep had nothing to do with Franky and everything to do with what Kim had said. In that moment, she’d played it cool, but the other woman had gotten to her.

“Then what’s wrong? Talk to me.” The brunette ran her thumb back and forth over Bridget’s cheek.

“Are you happy with me?”

“Gidge! Of course I am! I love ya!” At first, Franky didn’t understand why the blonde would even question her feelings toward her. Then, she remembered what Kim had said. “Kim’s a bitch and she was just trying to hurt me, and she knew that going through you to do it would be more effective than just coming at me directly.”

“She’s a lot younger than me.” Bridget had never felt insecure about her age until now.

“So?” Franky paused. “Are you forgetting everything I told you last week?”

Bridget wrinkled her brow.

“I chose you. I was supposed to be with her and I chose you.” Franky looked at the blonde with wide eyes.

“You chose Em, not me. You chose to stay with her, because she needed someone to look after her and that’s why you cancelled your date with Kim. You didn’t even know me when you made that choice.” Franky could see the tears that were threatening to spill from Bridget’s eyes.

“Fair enough.” Bridget was technically right but she wasn’t looking at the whole picture. “But then I asked you to stay for supper; that was something I chose. Then, I packed lunches for you to take home and slipped my number in the bag; also something that I chose. Remember I gave you expert sandwich-making advice at almost midnight? I chose that too.” Bridget gave a small laugh, remembering her awkward excuse for calling Franky that night. “And maybe most importantly, I never rescheduled that date with Kim. It never even crossed my mind. So yeah, I’d say I chose you. And I’d choose you again, and again, and every time after that if I had the chance. So fuck her and everything she said last night. She’s not worth the headspace, okay?”

Bridget nodded and Franky reached over and wiped the tears from the blonde’s face. She leaned in and gave her a slow, soft kiss and felt her sigh against her lips.

“Do you think you can sleep for a bit now, babe? It’s still really early.” Franky asked, pulling the blonde closer to her and wrapping her in her arms.

“I think maybe, yeah. And thank you.” Bridget closed her eyes as Franky kissed the side of her head. After just a few minutes, her breathing evened out and she was catching up on some much needed sleep.

They woke again two hours later and decided it was time to get ready and head back to Bridget’s house so that Liz could go home. They showered and dressed, and just as they were getting ready to leave, Franky lingered in the kitchen, hesitating.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Bridget asked, turning around when she realized that Franky was no longer following her to the door.

“Are you sure you want me to come back with you?” The brunette asked quietly.

“Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I?” Bridget shrugged her shoulders, confused by why the younger woman was even asking her.

“Because you saw what happened last night. What I did and how angry I got.”

“Baby, everyone has their breaking points and it’s clear to me that you recognize your limits and how to work with them. No one is ever prepared for everything and last night was like a perfect storm for you. You said you’d never told anyone before that you love them, but you’ve told me.” Franky nodded and Bridget continued. “That’s something new and you’re going to have to learn how to deal with it. The good parts and the bad. I think you’re handling the good parts very well and last night was the first time you had to face the downside of loving someone. You were fine until Kim had a go at me. You knew how to deal with her saying shit to you but it’s different when it’s directed at someone you love; someone you want to protect. So yes, there’s more work to do now for you to learn how to deal with that, but I never was, and still aren’t, afraid to be around you or for Emily to be around you. If I had thought you were going to hurt me last night, I would have left right then. And I knew even before I offered, that you weren’t going to fuck me out of anger; if I had, I wouldn’t have opened up that possibility. So yes, I’m sure I want you to come back with me.” The blonde held out her hand to Franky. While last night had been messy and difficult, it had only gone to show her that she had made the right choice by believing in Franky and she intended to make the brunette see for herself just how far she had come.

Franky wiped her tears on the sleeve of her jacket, took Bridget’s hand and followed her out the door to the cab waiting to take them back to the house.


	13. Chapter 13

Things had been going well for Franky and Bridget since the incident with Kim. Bridget could tell that Franky felt as though a weight had been lifted off her and she was starting to trust the blonde with some of the details of her past. The brunette had told her one night, when Bridget was lazily tracing the outline of her cherry blossom tattoo with her fingers, that she had gotten it to cover up the scars left on her by her mother when she was a child. She hadn’t gone into much detail about it, but Bridget knew that even sharing bits and pieces was a start.

The chef that Franky was filling in for at her friend’s restaurant had been able to return to work as planned and the brunette was back to being able to spend more time with her girlfriend and Emily. She had missed being there and hearing about their days and cooking meals with Emily.

The only thing not going well was the amount of stress that Bridget’s job was putting on her at the moment. Things had clearly gotten out of hand at the prison and the board was trying desperately to bring it back to something that resembled normal, or at least as normal as a prison could get. Derrick Channing had demanded that all the prisoners who’d been involved in the recent incidents have another psych evaluation done to see if their course of treatment needed to be altered to avoid future problems. This, along with the normal evaluations and reports on the new arrivals, had Bridget staying late most evenings and putting in a couple extra hours of her own time at home to type up her reports.

Franky did what she could to make things easier for the blonde. She looked after most of what needed doing around the house and spent time with Emily while Bridget worked in her home office. Bridget was trying to put up a strong front and say that she was doing okay but the brunette knew the difference. One night, the blonde had asked her to take her to bed, which Franky happily obliged, but by the time Franky had gotten undressed and under the covers, Bridget was already fast asleep.

********

The following week, the workload had eased up for the psychologist, but she was still feeling the effects of the previous few days. She’d worked through most of the weekend in order to get ahead, and that was probably the only reason why her desk wasn’t still piled high with case files. Franky had tried to get her to take some time for herself. The brunette was always good at sensing what Bridget needed, but the blonde had ignored her and pushed ahead through her work.

Bridget leaned back in her chair and stretched her arms over her head, trying to loosen the tension in her back and shoulder muscles. Her thoughts drifted to when she’d be working at home, and Franky would periodically come into the office to see if she needed anything. Even though most of the time her answer was ‘no’, the brunette would always stay for a couple of minutes to rub the knots out of her shoulders and give her a small kiss on the back of her neck before quietly leaving again. She knew that right now, Franky was probably busy going about her day, but she also knew that she didn’t teach any classes until late afternoon today, so she decided to pick up her phone and call her. Even hearing the brunette’s voice was comforting to the older woman.

“Hey, Gidge.”

“Mmm, hey, baby.” The blonde sighed. She could feel herself already relaxing.

“How’s your day going? Everything alright?” Franky knew that phone calls from Bridget while she was at work were rare, so she was slightly concerned to be hearing from her now, especially so early in the day.

“Yeah, yeah, everything’s good. Well, as good as it can be.” She gave a small, half-hearted laugh. “I just missed you and wanted to talk to you for a minute. I can’t wait to be home with you tonight. I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

“Nah, not at all, babe. I’m just doing a bit of paperwork in the office; putting in the orders for next week.”

“Okay.” The blonde had been working so much the past few days that her brain was struggling to even make small talk at the moment.

“Gidge? You sure you’re alright?”

“Yeah, I’m alright. Just a little stressed out I guess.” Bridget sighed. “I should get back to work though. I’ll see you tonight, okay? I love you.”

“Yeah, tonight. I love you too.”

Franky had barely finished speaking when she heard the line go silent. She took the phone away from her ear and saw ‘Call Ended’ on the screen. She let out a big sigh and sat her phone back on the desk in front of her. She picked up her pen and tried to get back to work, but her mind kept thinking about how stressed out Bridget had sounded. Franky knew what it usually took to make the blonde relax when she was feeling like this, and her mind went back to that evening in the kitchen after they’d gone to the park. The brunette grinned.

Franky picked up her phone and dialled Vera’s number, hoping that she was at work.

“Hello?” The governor picked up on the second ring.

“Hey, Vera, you at work today?”

“Yes, I am.” Franky noted that Vera also sounded busy today and decided to make this quick and to the point so as to not take up too much of her time.

“I just got a call from Bridget. She seems like she’s having a rough day. Can you check her schedule and see if she has any free slots today?”

“Just one moment.” Franky could hear the click of computer keys in the background. “She’s free from ten thirty until noon and then has a lunch break until one this afternoon.”

Franky said a silent thank you in her head. “Is there any way that I can come visit her today? I want it to be a surprise.”

“That’s not really something we do, Franky.” When the governor heard Franky begin to protest, she continued. “We can’t have the public in the inner parts of the building. It’s a security and safety concern.”

“I know, but Vera, you can escort me there and then back out again. I won’t leave her office alone.”

Vera knew the stress her friend had been under lately and knew how much seeing Franky would mean to her. She would be taking a huge risk letting someone just walk in off the street and into the prison, but then she thought back to the night at the bar not that long ago when her and the brunette had shared a couple of dances. Franky had been incredibly nice to her, and had gone out of her way to make sure she was having fun.

“Okay, have them call me from the desk when you get here.”

“Thanks so much Vera. I really appreciate it.” Franky hung up the phone and grabbed her bag. She had to make a quick stop at her apartment on the way, and pick up some lunch for them, but it would only take a minute.

********

Franky pulled into the visitor’s parking and headed towards the entrance of the prison. She looked up at the building thinking how she’d never thought she’d walk in there on her own free will. There was more than once that she had narrowly avoided being put inside.

There was an officer she didn’t know working at the desk. “Hi, I’m here to see Vera Bennett.” She gave him a friendly smile, hoping to move this process along as quickly as possible.

“I need to see your ID, please.”

“Okay, yeah, sure,” she said, fumbling for her wallet in her bag.

She handed him her ID and he started scanning through a list of names on the paper in front of him. “You’re not on the approved visitor’s list for today, sorry.”

“Oh, no, probably not. It was a last minute thing. She just asked me to get you to call her when I got here.” The officer looked at her blankly. “I’m a personal friend.” Franky hoped that maybe that information would get him to budge. “Can you just call her?”

The officer rolled his eyes and picked up the phone. “Hello, Governor. I have someone here to see you, says she’s a uh, personal friend of yours. Name’s Francesca Doyle…Yes, Governor.” He hung up the phone. “She’s on her way, get in line over there.” He motioned towards the line to go through the metal detectors.

Franky hesitated but did as he said. She wasn’t expecting this and it could ruin her plans for her visit with Bridget. She was next in line when she heard Vera behind her.

“Franky?” The brunette turned around. “Yes, Franky, over here.” Franky let out the breath she was holding and walked back towards the main desk. Vera handed her a pass, which she clipped to her jacket.

“She hasn’t cleared security yet, Governor,” the officer said.

“It’s fine. She’s with me.” The officer started to protest and Vera turned to look him square in the eye. “I said, she’s with me.”

“Yes, Governor.” The officer held open the door for them and they headed towards Bridget’s office.

“Vera, you should let the Governor in you out to play more often, that was hot.” Franky clicked her tongue as they entered the administrative area of the building.

“You haven’t told her I was coming, right?” Franky asked the smaller brunette as they approached Bridget’s office. Vera shook her head.

“Here we are,” she said, motioning toward the door they had stopped at. The blinds were closed but Franky could see Bridget’s name written on the door. “I’ll be back just before one to escort you out.”

The brunette nodded, “Thanks again.”

Vera turned and headed back towards her office.

Franky turned the doorknob and stepped into Bridget’s office. The blonde’s head snapped up from what she was working on to see who had come in unannounced.

“Franky!” She said surprised. “What are-…How did you get in here?” She got up and crossed the office, putting her arms around her girlfriend and giving her a long kiss on the lips.

“I have my ways, Gidge.” Franky smirked. “You sounded so stressed when you called me this morning.”

“Mmhmm, I was. I still am.” Bridget sighed, moving her head from side to side in an effort to loosen the muscles in her neck.

Franky walked around so that she was behind the blonde and placed her hands on her shoulders, massaging the muscles there.

Bridget moaned, “That feels good, baby.”

Franky smiled. “I know how much you like this,” she whispered, placing a small kiss on the side of the older woman’s neck. “I also remember something else you said you’d like.”

“Mmm what’s that?” Bridget asked, her breathing picking up slightly.

“Remember the night after the park? In the kitchen? How you said you wanted me to take control and take you?” Franky still had her lips next to the blonde’s ear and she heard a small whimper come from the woman in front of her. “Is that still what you want, babe?”

“Yes.” It was breathy and barely audible, but it was definitely there and it was all the brunette needed to hear.

She removed Bridget’s jacket and placed it on one of the chairs. She took the blonde’s left hand and moved it around behind her back, then did the same with her right, holding them both together. The brunette then reached into the pocket of her jacket and took out a pair of handcuffs that she’d stopped off at her apartment to pick up. Thank god she hadn’t had to go through the metal detector when she got here.

Bridget felt the cold steel snap around one wrist and then the other. “Wish granted, babe,” Franky murmured into her ear.

The brunette heard Bridget gasp, and she walked her forward until she was face first against her office door. Franky pressed her body into the blonde’s back, forcing her to turn her head to the side. The brunette leaned in close so that her lips brushed the older woman’s ear as she spoke. “You know you’re going to have to be really quiet, right?”

“Yes.”

“And I’m not going to make that easy for you.” Franky reached around the blonde and started to slowly unsnap her silky blouse. “You doing okay, babe? They’re not too tight?” She wanted to be in control, but this was also their first time trying something like this, so she wanted to check in with the blonde to make sure she was comfortable.

“I’m good. They’re good.” She had her eyes closed and her cheek was pressed against the door.

Franky could feel the other woman’s breathing pick up as she opened the last snap on her shirt. The brunette ran her fingers over Bridget’s stomach. She felt the muscles there tighten as the blonde let out a shaky breath. Her hand moved up to cup a breast and she felt a hardened nipple through the thin, lacy material of the blonde’s bra. Bridget whimpered at the contact.

“Franky…” Bridget knew she needed to be quiet but she was also desperate for the brunette’s touch.

Franky kissed the side of Bridget’s neck as she moved her hand down to unbutton the blonde’s pants and pull down the zipper. As she slid her hand inside, Franky could feel that Bridget had chosen to wear a lacy pair of underwear that probably matched the bra she was wearing. It wasn’t something she’d normally wear to work and Franky grinned, thinking it was probably made necessary by the fact that she was behind on doing their laundry but, either way, it was a welcome surprise. “Good choice with these, babe,” she said as she moved her hand inside them.

Bridget grinned. “Your fault.”

Franky’s fingers brushed over the blonde’s clit and Bridget let out a loud moan. Franky tugged slightly on the chain linking the handcuffs together. “I said you had to be quiet.” Bridget nodded.

The brunette moved her fingers lower, finding the wetness that had pooled in the blonde’s underwear. “Fuck, Gidge.”

“Again, your fault.” The blonde panted.

Franky ran her finger over Bridget’s folds, gathering wetness, and then came back to her clit. She traced different patterns there until she got the reaction she wanted. She ran two of her fingers down across the blonde’s clit, and barely dipped in between her folds, then moved back up to repeat the action. She felt Bridget’s hands, which were trapped between them, tighten into fists, gripping onto the front of her shirt. The brunette continued the motion and watched as Bridget shut her eyes tighter and bit her bottom lip.

“You like that?” Franky whispered in her ear. Bridget, still biting her lip, simply nodded her head.

As Franky continued to work her body into a frenzy, Bridget could hear people walking up and down the hallway in front of her door. She could hear their keys jingle as they walked and hear them greet each other as they passed. This only served to turn her on even more, thinking about where they were and how easily they could be caught.

Franky could feel that the blonde was getting close. She knew by now how to read the other woman’s body. She wanted more though. She removed her hand from Bridget’s underwear, causing her eyes to snap open.

“Fra-”

“Shhh.” Franky turned her around so that they were now facing each other and replaced her hand in the blonde’s pants. “I like seeing your face when you come.”

The blonde closed her eyes again and Franky continued. The brunette took in the sight before her. Bridget’s chest was flushed and her navy blue lace bra was in stark contrast to her creamy skin. Her eyes traveled down the older woman’s body, coming to rest on the matching lace underwear and she watched her hand move inside of them, touching Bridget in all the right places. When she pushed two fingers inside the older woman, Bridget forgot about the handcuffs and tried to reach out to touch Franky, causing the metal to scrape loudly against the door.

A few seconds later there was a knock. “Ms. Westfall? Are you alright?” Someone passing by had obviously heard the noise and was concerned.

Franky and Bridget’s eyes met and Franky continued her movements, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I’m okay.” Bridget tried her best to sound normal while her girlfriend was inside her and she was seconds away from an orgasm.

“Are you su-“

“I said I’m fine!” The blonde said it a little more loudly than she intended, but it had the desired effect as whoever it was didn’t say anything else.

Franky sped up the pace of her fingers and felt the first tremors start in Bridget’s body. As she pushed her towards her orgasm, she realized that the blonde was struggling against the handcuffs, trying to find something to hold onto as her legs started to shake.

Franky reached her free arm around Bridget’s back and held her up. “Stop, babe, you’re going to hurt your wrists. It’s okay, I’ve got you.” She whispered against her ear.

Bridget relaxed and Franky kissed her hard. A few finals thrusts of her fingers was all it took to send her over the edge, burying her face in Franky’s neck to muffle her moans.

The brunette held her until she had stopped shaking and lifted her head off her shoulder. Bridget looked at her with a grin on her face.

“I love you, babe. You feeling a bit better now?” Franky asked giving the blonde a slow, sweet kiss on the lips.

The older woman nodded. “I love you too.” Bridget tried to put her arms around her girlfriend but was stopped by the handcuffs. “Can we get these off now though?” She laughed.

“Yeah, sure.” Franky put her hand into the pocket of her jeans, then quickly checked the other pocket. “Uh, babe, I think I forgot to bring the key.” She started looking through the pockets of her jacket.

“Franky! Are you serious?” Bridget exclaimed.

“Babe, I’m sorry, I thought I put them in my pocket before I left. There must be someth-. Do they all use the same key? We can ask one of the officers to-”

“Franky! No! I’m no-“ Bridget stopped when Franky held up a small silver key that she had retrieved from the pocket of her jeans.

“Just kidding, Gidge,” she said with a huge grin on her face. Bridget gave her a sharp look as she unlocked the handcuffs and put them back in the pocket of her jacket. “If you’re hungry, I did actually pick us up some lunch from the Chinese place you like as well.” Franky nodded towards the bag she had brought with her that was still sitting on the floor beside the filing cabinet.

“Sounds perfect, baby.” Bridget gave her a quick kiss and cleared the pamphlets off the small coffee table so they could eat their meal.

********

At five minutes to one, there was a knock on the door of Bridget’s office.

“Come in!” the blonde called out.

Vera opened the door and stepped inside. “It’s time to go Franky. I’ll walk you out.”

The brunette nodded and both she and Bridget stood up. She kissed the blonde one last time. “I love you, babe. See you tonight.”

“I love you too.” Bridget replied as she watched Franky walk out the door with Vera.

They met Linda escorting a prisoner to her appointment with Bridget.

“What do we have here, Ms. Bennett? Some fresh meat?” The inmate flicked her tongue out at Franky as they approached.

“She’s not a prisoner, Gambaro. Back off.” Vera warned.

Juice’s eyes glanced down at the visitor’s pass clipped to Franky’s jacket then to the bag of empty take-out containers that the brunette was carrying. “Ah, too bad.”

The two pairs passed each other in the hall and Juice was quiet again until she got to Bridget’s office.

“G’day, Lucy,” the blonde greeted her warmly as she did every client.

“Ay, Ms. Westfall, never pegged you for a dyke,” Juice said, dropping into one of the lime green chairs.

“Pardon?” Bridget was used to inmates trying to get a reaction out of her and she never gave them the satisfaction of seeing her be shaken.

“That tall one is your girlfriend, yeah? You two just had a nice little lunch date in here.” Juice once again flicked her tongue out, making Bridget’s stomach churn.

“What makes you say that?”

“Because she just left here carrying a bag from a restaurant. Had a visitor’s pass and personal escort from the Governor too. Must be a really good root to get all that special attention.” Juice winked at Bridget.

“Lucy, what did you want to discuss today? How about the incident in the yard the other day?” Bridget took the seat across from the inmate and sat back, ready to listen.

“You know, I don’t blame you. She’s a nice piece of ass.” 

“If you continue, I’ll call Ms. Miles to come take you back.” Bridget was done listening to her insult her girlfriend and mock their relationship.

“Aw, I’m just having a bit of fun. Okay, we’ll talk about the other day.” Juice sat back and started telling Bridget her side of the story. She talked about the fight that happened two days ago between her boys and another crew.

********

“Thanks again, for letting me visit. I know you bent some rules for me,” Franky said as they approached the visitor’s entrance. 

“More than one.” Vera smiled. “The other night at the bar, you were just really nice to me when you didn’t have to be.” Vera looked down toward the floor. “I never did say thank you. So, thank you.”

Franky tipped her head to the side and smiled. “It was nothing. I’m making you dance with me again the next time we go out!” 

Vera smiled and gave a small nod. Her and Franky said their goodbyes and she headed back to her office while Franky left for the centre to teach her afternoon classes.


	14. Chapter 14

The day had come when Bridget’s brother would be returning from his business trip, and Emily would be going back home. Both women knew that they were going to miss the girl immensely, but Bridget had promised her that she was welcome to come visit any time she wanted. Sydney was only a short plane ride away. 

Franky and Bridget were helping Emily pack up her things before her Dad arrived. He had scheduled their flight so that he would be able to spend the day with his sister before they had to continue home to Sydney. All three of them were sad that the young girl’s visit was coming to an end, but they were all trying to put on brave faces.

Emily was the first one who broke the silence. “Can’t I stay here with you?” she asked her Aunt.

“Love, you know you’re welcome here anytime you want, and for as long as you want, but aren’t you ready to go back home with your Dad? You’ll get to see all of your friends again, and go back to your regular school.” Bridget wanted nothing more than to tell her niece that yes, she could stay, but she knew that wasn’t possible. 

“It’s not the same anymore,” the young blonde said softly, placing items on the bed for Bridget or Franky to put into her suitcase.

“What’s not the same?” Bridget asked gently.

“Home.” A tear rolled down Emily’s cheek and Bridget knelt down in front of her and wiped it away.

“I know it’s not,” the blonde spoke softly, looking into Emily’s eyes, “but your Dad is still there, and he still loves you very much. You two have to be strong for each other now.”

“Dad is different now.” Emily reached out and played with the edge of the extra blanket that was folded on the bed.

“He probably misses your Mom just like you do.” Bridget knew that Emily’s mother had passed away just a few months before she had come to stay with her. While she’d been happy during her stay, Bridget knew this was probably due to the fact that there were no reminders of her mother in this house.

“Maybe.”

Out of the corner of her eye, the blonde saw Franky exit the bedroom, wiping her face.

“Just a minute, love. I’ll be right back, okay?” Bridget asked, and the small girl nodded.

Bridget walked out into the hallway and found Franky silently crying, tears running down her face. She pulled her into a tight embrace. 

“I know you’re going to miss her, baby,” the blonde whispered beside Franky’s ear.

“It would just make it easier if she was actually happy to be going back.” Franky tried to keep as quiet as possible so that Emily wouldn’t hear her, and get more upset. 

“I know, baby, I know. Come back in though, yeah? She’s got the rest of the day here, and she wants to spend it with both of us.” Franky nodded and wiped the tears off her face. Bridget decided to give her a moment alone to pull herself together, and stepped back into Emily’s room.

“Franky’s sad,” Emily stated, simply.

“Yeah, love, she is. She’s going to miss you.” Bridget never believed in lying to cover up feelings, even to children.

Franky entered the room, seemingly more composed than she was a few moments before, and sat on the bed beside Emily’s suitcase. She picked up the teddy bear she’d won for her at the park that day.

“I’m going to miss you too,” the young girl said, looking over at the brunette.

She smiled a half smile that didn’t fool any of them. “Do you want to put this in your suitcase now?” Franky asked, holding out the bear. Emily shook her head. “You don’t want to take him with you?” The brunette felt slightly hurt at the thought that Emily would want to leave behind a gift.

“Not in the suitcase. I want to hold him on the plane.”

Franky grinned and placed the toy into Emily’s backpack instead so that she’d have it with her for the trip home.

********

Bridget’s brother, Tim, arrived late that morning from the airport. When he got to the house, he greeted Bridget and Emily with big hugs.

“I’ve missed you, darling,” he said to Emily, taking her into his arms. He stood to hug Bridget. “Hey, Bridge. Thanks for taking care of my girl while I was away.”

“Oh anytime, it was wonderful,” Bridget said, returning his hug.

Franky had been working all morning, preparing the food for their lunch. She had decided on barbecuing and had made ribs, along with an assortment of salads. The brunette entered the house from the backyard just as Tim had finished saying hello to Bridget.

“You must be Franky,” Tim said, walking to meet her in the kitchen and extending his hand. “Emily talked about you non-stop every time I called her. Bridget might have mentioned you a time or two as well.” He laughed and nudged Bridget’s arm with his elbow.

“Hey, Tim. Nice to finally meet you.” Franky returned his firm handshake.

“I brought some gifts for everyone,” he said, placing a bag on the kitchen island. “For you Em.” He handed her a Daruma Otoshi game and some wasanbon candy. “For you Bridge.” He passed his sister a wooden box, which she opened to find five Japanese tea cups. “I wasn’t sure what to get you,” he said, turning last to Franky, “so I decided on this.” He handed her a bottle of sake.

Franky was touched that he had brought her something, considering that she hadn’t even been in Bridget’s life before he left. “Thank you, that’s really nice of you.”

“Franky, can you play with me?” Emily held out the game that her father had just given her.

The brunette thought that maybe Tim would like to be the first one to play it with the young girl, as a way to spend time with her after being away for so long, “Why don’t you play a couple of rounds with your Dad first? I have to watch the food on the barbecue right now.”

Emily shook her head, “I’ll wait until after lunch when you can play.”

Franky looked up to see Tim give her a weak smile, and then quickly look down at the floor.

********

The group ate their lunch, and Tim and Bridget volunteered to clean up the dishes while Franky and Emily sat outside at the patio table, playing Emily’s new game. Tim watched them as he was packing up the leftovers to go into the fridge.

“You look really happy, Bridge,” he said as he put food into various containers.

“I am.” Bridget smiled as she stopped what she was doing and watched Franky and Emily outside.

“So tell me about how you two met. I mean, you told me the basics about the lockdown and her looking after Emily, but how did she manage to win over my big sister? I know it’s not an easy task.” He gave a small laugh and winked at Bridget. He had seen many women try to win over the blonde through the years and very few of them even came close. There had been a couple who had turned into something more serious, but he could tell that none of them matched Franky.

Bridget sighed and began, “That first day, it was awful. I was already starting to think that maybe I was in over my head looking after Em, and then work was crazy. The lockdown at the end of the day just topped it all off. When I finally got there to pick her up, I saw this gorgeous woman with her, and they were having the best time. She made it look easy.” The blonde smiled, remembering that day. “They had made supper together, and she asked us to stay. The whole time Em was trying to tell me about her day, and I was just so distracted. When we sat down to eat, it was just like it was something we’d done a thousand times before. I was so drawn to her, and I can’t even give you a specific reason why. It wasn’t something I had to think about, I just knew.”

Her brother smiled, “Well, it seems like she certainly adores you, and Em as well.” He put everything into the fridge and turned back around. “The past few months, she’s been talking about her Mom a lot. While she’s been here though, she’s seemed a lot happier, and when I talked to her on the phone, she always had a happy story; something she’d done with one or both of you, or learned in Franky’s class. She mentioned her Mom a couple of times, but nothing like it was before.” He took a deep breath. “The company has offered to move my job here, to Melbourne. I think it would be best for Em to have you around. She needs a mother-figure in her life, now, and especially as she gets older. I think it’ll be good for both of us. Everything there reminds me of Sarah, and I’m having a hard time, Bridge.” He met Bridget’s gaze and she placed a comforting hand on his back.

Bridget was shocked. It wasn’t like her brother to make a quick decision about something this big, and it concerned her. She knew that he had a history of drinking problems. He had gotten into some trouble over it when he was younger, but he’d cleaned up his act and had been sober since before he and Sarah had gotten married. The blonde dealt with addiction often in her job, and she knew that no one was ever completely cured. There would always be times when they were tempted, and if they gave in, it could undo all the progress they had made in their recovery. Her brother had confided in her before that there had been times when he’d been close to having a drink, but he had always resisted in the end.

“Oh, Tim, I know it’s been hard for you lately, but are you sure you don’t need some time to think before you make a big decision like this?” She was glad that he was admitting that he needed some help, and she was proud that he was thinking of what would be best for Emily, but she wanted to be sure that he had thought this through.

“Yeah, Bridge, it’s already done. The company found a house here for me already.”

“So when’s the move?” Bridget asked.

“In a week, maybe two at the most. I just need to go back and pack our things and hire the moving company. I haven’t told Em yet, and I’m not planning to until we get home.” The way he stated this with such certainty told Bridget that his mind was made up.

“Well, you know I support you, and if there’s anything you need, just let me know.” She looked out to the patio, watching Emily and Franky. “I know two other people, who will be very excited later on.” They both laughed and finished up their work in the house.

********

It was late afternoon and Emily and Tim had just left for the airport. It was a teary goodbye for Franky and the young girl. Bridget felt bad for not telling the brunette that she’d be able to spend a lot more time with Emily soon, but she knew that Franky might have a hard time keeping it a secret, and she didn’t want her niece to find out.

Bridget was sitting on the couch with a cup of tea, watching Franky empty the dishwasher and stack the dishes noisily in the cupboards. The brunette had barely said anything since Emily had left. She picked up the step stool that Emily had used so she was able to work on the counter, and placed it back into the utility closet, with a louder than necessary thud. When she re-entered the kitchen, Bridget decided that she couldn’t watch Franky be upset any longer.

“Baby, come here.” The blonde patted the spot beside her on the couch.

Franky replied without even looking at her. “Nah, Gidge, I’m just going to finish up over here.”

“Franky, I-” the blonde was cut off.

“Gidge! Please, just…not right now.” Franky was trying her best to keep it together, and so far she was doing okay, but she knew if she sat down with Bridget, the tears would start.

Bridget sat her mug on the coffee table and walked over to the brunette, wrapping her arms around her. “Baby, I have to tell you something.”

“Okay, what?” Franky really wasn’t in the mood to talk right now, but she wasn’t about to push the blonde away if she needed her.

“Em is coming back.”

“Yeah, I know. You told her she could come visit.” Franky knew Bridget was trying to comfort her, but she didn’t see how the promise of a visit on an unknown date in the future would make things better right now.

“No, baby, Em and my brother are moving here. They’ll be back in a week or two.” The blonde watched Franky’s face, seeing at first, a few seconds on incomprehension, then the wide smile that spread across her face.

“Are you serious?” Franky was beyond excited, and Bridget nodded. “You’re fucking serious?” The blonde nodded again. “But how? Why?”

“Tim decided that it was best for the two of them to be here and have some family support, and he was able to get his company to transfer his job here. They were having a hard time after everything that’s happened, and he heard how happy Em was when he called while he was away. They just needed to go back to Sydney to tie up a few loose ends and pack up the house.”

“Gidge, that’s fucking awesome!” Franky grabbed Bridget’s face and kissed her hard.

When they separated, the blonde let out a loud laugh, “Now will you stop throwing the dishes around before you break something?” Franky nodded and went back to work.

********

That night, Bridget and Franky were laying in bed, talking about everything that had happened that day.

“I can’t believe you waited a whole hour after they left to tell me, Gidge.” Franky tickled the blonde’s side, and she squealed with laughter.

“Franky!” She caught her breath. “ Do you honestly think you could have acted normal, so that Em wouldn’t know, if I had told you before they left?” She pulled the brunette in for a slow kiss.

“Mmm, probably not.” Franky smiled against Bridget’s lips. “It was kind of mean though. Maybe there should be a consequence for that.”

“Oh yeah? Like what?” The blonde went in for another kiss and Franky pulled her head back.

“Like no more kisses tonight?” the brunette asked, laughing as Bridget moved to straddle her hips. The blonde took both of Franky’s hands in her own and pinned them above her head, laying her body flat onto the other woman.

“Is that so?” Bridget asked, with a smirk on her face.

“Mmhmm.” Franky was trying to be serious, but was failing.

The blonde dipped her head down and captured Franky’s lips once again, rolling her hips against the younger woman.

Franky was getting lost in the feeling of Bridget’s body on hers when she heard a noise outside. “Gidge, wait. Did you hear that?”

“Hmm? Hear what?” The older woman continued slowly down the side of the brunette’s neck.

There was another, more distinct sound. “Stop, Gidge…stop. Get off.” She motioned for Bridget to move off her. “Someone just came in the front door.” She jumped out of bed, and quickly pulled on a pair of jeans that had been discarded on the floor.

She quickly scanned the room, looking for something to use as a weapon, and found nothing. “Stay here,” she told the blonde.

She opened the bedroom door, and could see a shadow moving on the wall opposite the main door, in the hallway. Franky crept down the hallway until she got to the corner. She carefully peeked out around the corner and could see the intruder’s face in the light coming in from the street lamps outside. It was Kim.

Before Kim had a chance to notice her, she launched herself at the other woman, pinning her against the wall and twisting one of her arms behind her.

“What…the fuck…are you doing here?!” Franky emphasized her words by shoving Kim harder against the wall. The smaller woman was squirming in her grip and managed to slide her body out from in between Franky and the wall. The brunette still had a grip on her wrist, and pulled Kim back towards her, slamming her back into the wall so that they were now facing each other, and pinning her there with a forearm over her throat. “Answer the fucking question, Kim.” By this time, Bridget had come out of the bedroom and was standing at the end of the hallway.

“I see you still like it rough,” Kim sneered and looked over at Bridget. “Where’s your kid?”

“Not here,” Bridget said coolly.

“What was the plan, huh, Kim?” Franky spat out. Kim just smiled back at her. “Did you fucking come here for the kid?”

“I just wanted you to know what it felt like to lose someone you care about.”

Kim’s words echoed in Franky’s ears and she put more pressure on the other woman’s throat. “I will fucking kill you!”

“Franky! Enough! I’m calling the police.” Bridget held up her phone.

Kim started to cry and Franky eased her arm off her throat. “Please, don’t. I’ll just go.” Kim had stopped struggling and slumped to the floor.

“That’s what you said last time, and yet here we are.” Franky threw her arms out to the side then let them drop. “What’s going on? You been drinking tonight?” The brunette had thought she smelled alcohol when she had Kim pinned against the wall.

“I had a few, yeah. Just, please don’t call the police, I’ll go to jail this time. I’ll leave, I won’t come back. I swear!” Kim looked up at Franky. The brunette looked over to Bridget who still had her phone in her hand, and sighed.

“Here’s the deal Kim, you’re going to get the fuck up, and I’m going to drive you home. If you ever come near this house, or Bridget, or the kid again, I promise you, I will fucking kill you. Understood?” Franky stood over her, waiting for a response.

“Okay, yeah sure, whatever.”

Kim stood up and Franky gave her a shove towards the door. “Start walking.”

Bridget walked up behind Franky and put a hand on her shoulder. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Yeah, I’ll look after it, okay? I’ll be back.” Franky grabbed her keys out of the bowl on the table in the hallway, and followed Kim outside.

********

Franky and Kim were a few blocks away from Kim’s apartment when Franky finally spoke.

“So, seriously, why won’t you leave me alone? Look, I get I was an ass when I avoided you at first. I shouldn’t have done that.” The brunette glanced over at the woman in the passenger’s seat.

“I just thought you loved me.” Kim’s voice was small.

“Kim, we fucked once. We didn’t even make it to a first date.” Franky sighed.

“But you agreed to go on a date with me, so it must have meant something more to you too. Maybe if you just gave me a chance, you’d see that I’m the one you should be with.” She had turned in her seat and was facing Franky now.

“I’m not going on a date with you. I’m with someone else.” Franky knew she was being blunt, but she had to make it clear to Kim that whatever she thought they had was all in her head. The brunette stopped at a red light.

“But I love you!” Kim reached over and grabbed Franky’s arm, which she yanked out of Kim’s grip.

“Don’t fucking touch me! I don’t love you! I never loved you! Just leave me, and my girlfriend, the fuck alone or next time, I won’t be so nice about it!” Franky was yelling now.

“Fine! You want me gone? I’m gone!” Kim reached for the door handle and opened the door, taking off across the street.

Franky put the car in park and ran after her. This was a not so great part of town, and Kim was in no condition to be running around in the dark, alone. The brunette followed her down an alleyway. “Get the fuck back here!” she yelled out.

She ran to the end of the alley where it split to the left and right. She looked both ways but couldn’t see Kim anywhere. “Fuck,” she muttered. She started to the left, going a few feet and not seeing her anywhere then turned and jogged down the alley to the right a few feet and saw nothing there either. She had no idea where Kim could have gone. She knew the other woman was a fast runner, but she didn’t think she’d been that far behind her. She turned to go back to her car and accidentally ran into some pallets that were leaning against the building. She felt a burning sensation on her cheek and reached up. There was no blood yet but she felt a rough area of skin where the wood must have scraped her. Out of frustration, she punched the pallets, knocking them over with a crash in the quiet night. She walked back out to the street.

“Girlfriend troubles?” Franky heard a voice to her right and looked to see a homeless man sitting against the building.

“Something like that,” the brunette mumbled, and got back in her car to head to Bridget’s house.

********

Bridget was pacing back and forth through the kitchen when she heard the front door open. She rushed to the entryway to see Franky throwing her keys back into the bowl.

“Baby.” She grabbed her face and kissed her. “What took you so long? I was worried.” As she pulled back, she noticed the scrape on the brunette cheek. She ran her thumb over it and Franky winced. “What happened?” Bridget searched the younger woman’s face for an answer, unable to make her meet her gaze.

“Nothing, I don’t want to talk about it.” Franky pulled her head away from the blonde’s hands and stepped around her, continuing into the house.

“Franky, we need to talk about this,” Bridget said, catching up to the brunette and stepping in front of her again.

“Just drop it, Gidge. I took care of it.” Franky headed towards the bedroom.

Bridget reached out and grabbed her arm to stop her. “Fra-“

The brunette whipped around, pulling her arm out of Bridget’s grasp. “I said drop it! I’m going to bed.” She continued into the bedroom and closed the door.

********

Bridget had sat in the backyard for about an hour before she got cold, and moved inside to the couch. She wasn’t avoiding Franky, she wasn’t mad at her, she was just trying to process everything and give Franky some space so she could do the same.

When Franky awoke that morning, she reached out to the other side of the bed as she always did if she couldn’t feel Bridget pressed up against her. Her hand found the other side of the bed empty, and cold. Either the blonde had gotten up very early, or she hadn’t come back to bed at all.

Bridget was drinking her third cup of tea when she heard the bedroom door open and footsteps coming down the hall. When Franky reached the kitchen and saw the blonde sitting on the sofa, she stopped.

“Did you sleep out here?” the brunette asked.

“I didn’t sleep.” Bridget got up and went over to the kitchen. “You want a cuppa?” Franky nodded her head and the blonde took a mug down out of the cupboard.

“Gidge, I-”

Bridget cut her off, holding up a hand to stop her. “Let’s just make breakfast first, then we can talk, okay?”

Franky set to work, preparing some food for them both while Bridget made her tea and set the table.

They sat down to eat and the brunette began, “I’m sorry Gidge. This is such a fucking mess.”

“It was lucky that Em was gone.” She sipped her tea. “What happened after you left? To your face…..and hand?” For the first time she was noticing the scrapes on the brunette’s knuckles as well.

“It’s a long sto-” She was cut off by a loud knock on the door.

“Ms. Westfall, it’s the police,” came a loud voice from outside. Franky and Bridget looked at each other and the officer knocked again. “Ms. Westfall, it’s the police, please open the door.”

Bridget rose and walked to the front door. She had a feeling this was about what had happened the night before, so she opened it just to the width of her body, so they knew they weren’t welcome to just come inside. “Can I help you?” she asked.

There were two officers, a man and a woman, who both showed their badges. It was the man who spoke. “We’re looking for Francesca Doyle. Is she here?”

“What’s this about?” Bridget knew what it was about but she wasn’t going to give away any more information than she had to.

“She’s wanted for questioning about an incident that took place last night.” When Bridget didn’t answer, he continued, “We have a witness who placed her at the scene, with the victim, around the time in question. He was able to give the license plate number on the car. Officer on patrol this morning spotted it here. That is her car parked on the street, yes?” He motioned towards Franky’s small, green car parked in front of Bridget’s house. “So I’ll ask again, is she here?”

“I’m here.” Franky had walked up behind Bridget and the blonde stepped aside to let Franky talk to the officers.

“We need you to come with us. We’ll question you at the station.” He took out a pair of handcuffs and reached out to place them on the brunette’s wrists.

Bridget immediately stepped forward again. “Hey! I thought you just wanted to question her.” She’d never seen anyone put in handcuffs before if they weren’t being arrested.

“Yes, Ma’am. This is just a precaution. For our safety and hers.” The officer finished putting the handcuffs around her wrists.

“It’s okay, Gidge.” Franky made sure she held eye contact with the blonde in an effort to show her that she was okay. That everything would be alright.

A tear slid down Bridget’s cheek. “I want to come with her,” she said to the female officer.

“I’m sorry, that’s not how it works. She’ll be able to make contact with you later. In the meantime, here’s my card. It has the number for the station, in case you have any questions.” The officer handed Bridget her card, and they walked Franky to the police car, putting her into the back seat.

Bridget watched as the car pulled away, and drove down the street, out of sight. She turned and walked back into the house, and spent the next ten minutes pacing between the kitchen and living room. She knew there would be nothing to do, at least for a few hours, except wait, and she’d drive herself crazy with worry if she stayed alone, so she picked up her phone and called Vera.

“Hello?” Vera answered on the first ring.

“Vera, hey, I uh…are you busy?” Bridget didn’t want to impose on her friend if she had plans for the day.

“No, not at all. What’s going on? Everything okay?” Vera had known Bridget long enough to know that something was wrong.

“Yeah, I mean, no, not really. Do you think you could come by the house? I just really need someone to talk to.” The blonde took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

“Yes, of course. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Thanks, Vera.” Bridget hung up and sat down on the end of the couch and waited for her friend to arrive.

Twenty minutes later, Vera walked into the house. “Bridget?” She called coming through the entryway into the kitchen. She spotted the blonde sitting on the couch. “There you are. What’s wro-“ Vera stopped mid-sentence when she saw the uneaten breakfast for two still sat out on the table. “Oh…Bridget…” She sat her bag down on the floor and took a seat beside the blonde, putting an arm around her shoulders.

“Something’s happened.” Bridget stared at a spot on the floor in front of her. “Franky...” She trailed off.

“Did she, uh…” Vera didn’t want to ask if Franky had broken up with her friend, “Did you guys have a fight?”

Bridget shook her head, “No, the police came and got her.”

“What!?” That was the last thing Vera had expected. “Why?!”

“They said there was an incident. I know she was having trouble with an ex.” Bridget decided to leave out the details for now, considering that she herself didn’t even know part of what happened last night. “They said they wanted to question her.”

“Okay, well, that can take a few hours, but then she should be home. They can’t hold people that are only brought in for questioning. I’ll stay with you until you hear something, okay?” Vera made herself more comfortable beside the blonde.

Bridget nodded. “They left a card so I could contact the station.”

“Yes, that’s the procedure. If we don’t hear anything in a few hours, we’ll give them a call. They might not tell you much, but I have some pull there, if needed.” Bridget nodded again, thankful that her friend was there with her.

They waited four hours then Bridget decided she needed to know what was going on. She called the station but all they would tell her was that Franky was still there and the questioning process was ongoing.

Vera offered to make Bridget something for supper, but she declined. Earlier that evening, Vera got a message on her phone from Will telling her to check her email and have a look at the new inmates scheduled to arrive in the morning. She had a bad feeling about his message because they both knew it usually didn’t matter who was arriving, unless it was a high-profile inmate, and she wasn’t aware of any of those at the moment.

“Can I use your laptop for a minute?” She motioned to the computer that was sitting on the coffee table and the blonde nodded.

Vera logged into her work email account and scrolled until she found the new arrivals email for the next day. She scanned through the list, with nothing catching her attention, until she saw “Francesca Doyle” among the names.

“Bridget?”

“Mm?” The blonde turned to her.

“I need to tell you something but I need you to be calm, okay?” Bridget nodded and Vera continued. “I just got the list of arrivals at Wentworth for tomorrow and Franky is on the list.”

“What?!” Bridget was up off the couch and pacing again. “You said they didn’t hold anyone just for questioning.” She was frantic.

“They don’t usually. Listen, I’ll find out what’s going on first thing in the morning, okay? In the meantime, I’ll stay here tonight. You shouldn’t be alone.” Bridget nodded, grateful that she had such a good friend.

********

Laying in bed that night, Bridget knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep. She also knew that she probably wouldn’t be fit for work in the morning, and should call in sick, but she wanted to be there when Franky arrived. She made up her mind that she’d get through tomorrow, no matter what, for Franky.


	15. Chapter 15

Franky had spent the rest of the morning and first half of the afternoon waiting to be questioned. They had put her in a small room with just a table and three chairs. They had removed her handcuffs before leaving her in the room, but she didn’t feel like any less of a prisoner. She knew the door was locked, and that she was stuck in there until they were ready to let her out. At last, she heard the sound of keys in the door and the 2 detectives, that had taken her from Bridget’s house this morning, walked into the room.

The male detective spoke first. “Ms. Doyle, as you may remember, I’m Detective Lewis, and this is Detective Anders.” He motioned towards the female detective. “Before we start, we are required to inform you that this interview is being recorded, and you may stop answering questions at any time and request a lawyer. Now, as we said when we picked you up this morning, we are here to question you about an incident involving Kim Chang early this morning at approximately 1am. Do you know Chang?”

“Yeah, I know her,” Franky answered, arms crossed.

“What’s the nature of your relationship with her?” Detective Lewis asked.

“She’s an acquaintance, I guess.” The two detectives were silent, waiting to see if Franky would continue. She decided that since she’d done nothing wrong, she might as well lay everything out. “She was in a big group I used to hang out with and we partied a bit. I fucked her once and then agreed to go on a date, which I ended up cancelling.”

“How long ago was the sexual encounter and cancelled date?” Detective Anders inquired.

“A little over two months ago.” The brunette remembered their encounter in the bathroom of a bar was about a week and a half before she met Bridget.

“Has there been any contact with her since then?”

“Yeah, loads. She wouldn’t leave me alone.” Franky was getting irritated. “What’s this all about anyway?”

“Ms. Doyle, Kim Chang was found beaten and unconscious in an alleyway, just a couple of blocks from her house. We have a witness that was able to give a description of you and your car and says he saw Chang run from your car, into the alley and that you chased after her. He says you were gone for approximately five minutes, during which time he heard numerous loud noises coming from said alley. When you emerged from the alley, alone, he asked if you were having girlfriend troubles and you replied, and I quote, ’something like that’, after which you got into your car and left. He says he waited for approximately fifteen minutes for her to return and when she didn’t, he then walked down the alley and turned left, going maybe twenty feet, where he found her unconscious.” Detective Lewis placed the sheet of paper he was reading from back on the table and looked blankly at Franky. “So that is what this is all about. Do you have anything to say?”

“I didn’t beat her up!” Franky knew she was showing more irritation than she should, but Kim had been fucking with her life for months now and she couldn’t catch a break.

“But you did follow her into an alleyway and then come out alone?” Detective Anders asked, leaning back in her chair.

“Yes.” Franky gritted out. “But it wasn’t like that!”

“Then tell us what it was like. Start from the beginning.” Detective Lewis took out a notebook and pen and waited for Franky to speak.

She went through how she had cancelled the date with Kim and had started dating Bridget and how Bridget had been caring for Emily. She told them about the time that Kim came to the centre and made a scene before one of her classes and how she’d showed up at her apartment after her first date with Bridget, how she’d had to block her number after that. She told them about the morning before their day at the park and how she’d confronted her in the coffee shop then followed her to Bridget’s house and left a note on her car threatening Emily. She told them about the night after the bar when Kim had shown up and insulted Bridget and then she came to what had happened just hours earlier.

“Why didn’t you report any of this to the police?” Detective Anders asked.

“No offence, but in my experience, the police don’t really do shit.” Franky was getting more defensive by the minute.

“Tell us about last evening when she arrived at your house.”

“I was in bed with Bridget and I heard a sound, like someone coming in through the front door. So I got up and went out to see who it was. Turned out it was her. So I pinned her to the wall and asked her what the fuck she was doing there. She got out of my grip but I still had a hold of her wrist so I pulled her back and put her against the wall again. She asked Bridget where Em was, said she wanted me to know what it felt like to lose someone I cared about.” Franky felt the tears in her eyes. “She was going to take a fucking kid because she couldn’t accept that I didn’t want to be with her.” She wiped the tears from her face. “Bridget wanted to call the cops but as soon as she threatened to do it, Kim broke down and I just let her slump to the ground. She was a mess and I, stupidly, felt bad for her. I know she’s been in trouble before so I just offered to drive her home instead. I told her this was the last time I was doing her any favours. So we get almost to her place and I asked her why she kept coming around. I said I knew I was an ass for not returning her calls way back when this all started and then she started in on how she thought I loved her. I told her that to me, it was just a one time fuck, and I didn’t have any feelings for her. I was always clear about that with her. She wanted another chance with me, and I said I was in a relationship and it wasn’t going to happen. She got mad and got out of the car and ran into the alley. It’s a bad neighbourhood, obviously, so I went after her. I wanted her to get home. When I got to where the alley split, she was gone. I went a few feet in each direction, and nothing. So I gave up and went home.”

“What about the noises the witness heard before you reemerged and the scrapes on your face and hand?” Detective Lewis pointed to the witness statement that he had placed on the table earlier.

“My face? I ran into some pallets that were leaning against the building. My hand? Got pissed off and punched said pallets and a couple of them fell over.” Franky shrugged.

“So you have anger problems?” Detective Lewis asked.

“I did when I was younger. I got help for them and now, it’s all good. But last night, yeah, I was angry.” She saw the detectives glance at each other. “I didn’t beat her up though. The only time I touched her was when she was in the house. She was fine the last time I saw her.”

There was a knock on the door and Detective Anders got up to answer it. She spoke with whoever was outside for a moment then closed it and turned to Franky. “We need to step out for a minute, but don’t go anywhere.”

“No chance of that, hey?” Franky motioned to the lock on the door and she once again found herself sitting in the small room, alone.

The detective returned a few moments later with another officer.

“After considering your past record, it has been determined that you will be placed on remand at Wentworth until we finish our investigation. You’ll stay here for the night and then be moved over in the morning with the regular prisoner transport.” Detective Lewis stated. “Any questions?”

“Yeah! What the fuck do you mean by ‘finish your investigation’? I told you what happened last night!” Franky had stood up and the officer stepped towards her, cautioning her to calm down.

“Ms. Doyle, we went to your apartment first this morning to see if you were home. We spoke with a Mrs. Watson who lives down the hall from you. Do you know her?” Detective Lewis was once again reading from his notes.

“Yeah, she’s the nosey old cow who never sleeps. Always poking her nose into everyone’s business.” Franky huffed.

“She said she’s witnessed fights, on more than one occasion, between you and the victim.”

“Yeah, and I told you about those.” Franky threw her arms out to the side then let them drop.

“We will be getting a search warrant for you apartment. Is there anything you want to tell us about before we find it?” Detective Anders asked the brunette.

“Nah, just be prepared for the drawer in the bedside table.” Franky winked at her.

“Okay, well, we’ll start some paperwork, and we’ll need to take photographs of the wounds on your face and hand. After that, you’ll be taken to a cell for the night.”

The officer led her out of the room and down the hall to the processing area. She knew she should probably ask to call Bridget, but she didn’t know what she could say to make anything better at this point, so she pushed that thought aside. 

********

Bridget was awake early the next morning, and she could hear that Vera was already in the shower. She reached out her hand and placed it on the empty spot beside her where Franky usually slept. They’d only been apart a few nights since they’d started dating. She knew some people would say maybe that wasn’t healthy, and they were moving too fast, but Bridget had never felt more sure of anything than she was about her and Franky.

She was both dreading and looking forward to work that day. Dreading it because she knew Franky would be trapped behind those bars, and looking forward to it because she needed to see the brunette, and right now, that could only happen within the walls of Wentworth. She knew everything that Franky had told her about what had been going on with Kim, and she believed her. She knew the incident the officers had been talking about must have been something to do with Kim, but she knew in her heart that Franky would never hurt her. There was however, a very small part of her that had to admit that she had been worried for a moment when Kim had admitted that she had come for Emily. She remembered how upset Franky was when the woman had come at her at the brunette’s apartment that night, and she would be even more protective of the child. Bridget played the only card she had at that moment, threatening to call the police. She knew Franky didn’t want them involved, but she refused to stand there and watch the woman she loves kill someone and go to prison. Relief had flooded over her when the brunette had released her hold on Kim and let her fall to the floor.

The blonde got up and laid out some clothes for Franky on the bed. She knew that she was probably still wearing the outfit she had on when they had picked her up the day before. There was a small knock on the door.

“Come in,” the blonde called.

“Hey, good morning” Vera said, poking her head just inside the door. “I was just making sure you were awake, and you are so, uh, I’ll go and start on breakfast.” She was about to close the door and leave when Bridget called her back in.

“Vera? Come in for a minute.” The small brunette stepped into Bridget’s bedroom. “Is it okay if I take her some clothes?”

Vera thought for a moment, “Yes, but I think I should take them in with me.” The blonde opened her mouth to protest when her friend continued. “I know you want to see her, and I’ll do everything in my power to make that happen as soon as possible. As soon as she walks through those gates though, she is an inmate and you are a member of staff. I know that a couple of the officers know about you two, and I trust them, but the rest of the staff, and the inmates especially, absolutely cannot know that she is linked with you. It puts a target on her back and it puts your job at risk.”

“Lucy Gambaro knows, or at least thinks she knows,” Bridget said, remembering the day that Franky had visited her in her office. “She said she saw her leaving with the bag from the restaurant and figured that we had a lunch date.”

Vera closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing. “But you didn’t confirm anything?”

“Of course not!” The blonde would never give away such personal details to an inmate.

“Okay, then she can’t prove it, and I’m sure Franky will deny it as well if she confronts her about it. I’ll keep an eye on the situation though.” Vera looked down at the clothes laid out on the bed. “Put these in a bag, okay? I’ll get them to her as soon as she arrives.” Bridget nodded. “I’m going to go start on the food while you get showered and dressed.”

“Thanks again, Vera. For everything, for staying last night.” The tears were threatening in Bridget’s eyes again.

“Hey, hey, we’re friends, that’s what we do. I’ll see you out there in a bit, yeah?” The blonde nodded and Vera exited the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

As Bridget packed the clothes into a bag, she suddenly wondered if she was packing too much or too little. If she packed too much, she thought that Franky might think that Bridget thought she might be in there for awhile. That it would mean that her girlfriend didn’t believe in her innocence. If she packed too little though, then Franky may not have what she needed and Bridget wanted her time there to be as comfortable as possible. If it was possible for a prison to be comfortable at all. She opted for an amount somewhere in the middle. Not so much that it looked like Bridget expected her to be there for a long time, but enough that she would be okay for a few days until her girlfriend was able to bring her more things if she had to.

Bridget brought the bag out and set it by the door for Vera to take with her when she left. They sat and ate breakfast together. Bridget was grateful that her friend had cooked for her, but right now, she would have done anything for one of Franky’s omelettes.

“Are you okay to drive yourself in today or do you want to come with me?” Vera asked as they were clearing the table.

“I’m okay to go in by myself. You’ve done so much already and I don’t want you to have to drive all the way back here at the end of the day.” The real reason Bridget wanted to take her own car was that she wasn’t entirely sure she’d make it through the whole day without leaving early, but she didn’t want to tell Vera that.

Her friend gave her a hug and picked up her bag and the bag for Franky and headed towards the door. “I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.”

********

Franky woke up that morning when a guard came to get her from her holding cell.

“The Brawler is here to take you to the prison, let’s go.” He waited for her to get out of bed, then walked her down the hall and out to the waiting van.

There was only one other prisoner in it; a small, redhead who didn’t look to be any more than eighteen or nineteen years old. Neither of them spoke, and the only sounds during the entire drive were those of the redhead sobbing.

The van pulled up to the prison and stopped. When the doors opened, Franky was met by Vera and Will. The redhead stepped out of the van first and Vera pointed her towards the entrance of the prison.

Franky stepped down onto the pavement. “Hey, Gov. Will.”

“Franky, in here, he’s Mr. Jackson.” Vera didn’t like having to correct Franky but she didn’t want her to stick out to the other inmates.

“Yeah, sure.” The brunette had had a long, mostly sleepless night and she wasn’t in the mood to argue with anyone.

“Mr. Jackson is going to take you through the admissions procedure then I’ll come down and see you, okay?” Vera wanted to make sure Franky got her clothes from Bridget before she was put into general. It would look less suspicious for her to walk in with them rather than to receive a delivery from the governor on her first day there.

********

Bridget had cleared her schedule for the morning, and sat waiting for Vera to call her. At around 10am, there was a knock on her door. “Come in,” she called out.

Vera opened the door and stepped into her office. “She’s just arrived.”

“Is she okay? How does she look?” Bridget was immediately on her feet and around the desk.

“She looks okay, but tired. Will is taking her through admissions now and then I’m going to go back to see her. I’ll give her the clothes you sent, and she can take them in with her in her basket.” The governor hesitated on telling Bridget her next decision. “Bridget, I’ve decided to allow you to do her intake psych evaluation, you don’t actually have to do it but that’s the only way I could allow you to spend time with her right now without it looking suspicious. I’ll have the external psych do a proper evaluation when he comes in on Thursday. I know you two need to talk. You have to make it look like it’s just a routine thing though. Will will be the officer with her and he’ll leave once you get there. He’ll be in the office across the hall so just let him know when you’re done talking, okay?”

“Oh, Vera, thank you! I know this is going against a lot of rules.” Bridget gave her friend a hug.

Vera put her hands on Bridget’s shoulders and gently pushed her back. “I’m your friend, but I’m also the governor. I will try to help you as much and for as long as I can, but you have to promise that you will keep things quiet. Don’t put me in a position where I have to be the bad guy.”

“I promise, Vera. I promise.”

“Okay, I’ll have the paperwork for her sent up and then just wait for my call.” Vera turned and walked out the door, leaving Bridget alone again.

********

Franky sat with Will, going through the admissions paperwork.

“What happened, Franky? I never thought I’d see you in here.” He was typing her information into the computer while he talked.

“The fucking system. That’s what happened.” Franky leaned back in the chair and crossed her arms.

“Okay, we’re almost done here. I’m going to take you across the hall and Vera wants to come talk to you, alright?”

Franky let Will lead her into the intake room across from the admissions office and once they were inside, Will radioed Vera, saying she was needed in admissions. When Vera arrived, he left and went back to his desk.

“Bridget sent some clothes for you.” Vera placed the bag of clothes on the table beside Franky. “You’ll be given a basket and a few things to take in with you, I suggest you put these in there.”

“Why didn’t she bring them to me herself?” All night Franky had thought only of seeing her girlfriend when she arrived in the morning and now Bridget had sent a messenger instead.

“She wanted to. Here’s what you have to understand now though, and I’ve said the same to her; if you are linked to her in any more than a normal inmate/staff way, then you will be targeted by other inmates. They will exploit that relationship every chance they get, and both you and her will be in danger. On the professional side of it, for her, it could mean the end of her career. I will help you however I can, but I won’t jeopardize anyone’s safety in doing so, okay?”

Franky nodded and she knew that Vera meant what she said. She was serious about her job, and even though Franky was someone relatively new in her life, the brunette knew that Vera was serious about protecting Bridget.

“I just want to see her.” Franky sniffed and wiped away a tear that was threatening to fall.

“I know.” The governor placed a comforting hand on Franky’s arm. “I’ve arranged for it to look like she’s coming to do your intake psych evaluation. You’ll be able to spend some time together, here. I’ll have the external psych do a proper evaluation in a couple of days. It’s the best I can do for now.”

“Thanks.” What the brunette really wanted right now was to be told that she could leave with Bridget, and go home to their bed where she could hold her for days. A few minutes in a cold room was no comparison, but it would have to do for now.

********

Bridget’s phone rang and she picked it up almost immediately. “Hello?”

“Bridget, you can go see her now. She’s in intake room one. Thirty minutes max, okay?” Vera told her friend.

“Okay, okay thanks,” Bridget said hurriedly, hanging up the phone as she rushed out the door.

She arrived at the intake room and rushed inside. The blinds were already drawn and, even though she knew it was against policy, she reached behind her and flipped the lock on the door. She didn’t think anyone would be trying to get in anyway, but she didn’t want to take the chance.

“Baby.” She reached out to put her arms around Franky, who had stood the moment she entered the room.

“I’m so sorry, Gidge,” the brunette said in between kisses. “I’m so sorry.”

“Baby, what happened? What are they saying you did?” Bridget held her girlfriend’s face, wiping away tears with her thumbs.

“That’s what I was trying to tell you before the police came. Last night, when I was driving Kim home, she bolted from the car when we were stopped at a red light. We were arguing and she just up and ran. I went after her, down an alley but I lost her, so I just came home. Someone found her beaten and unconscious not long after I left and they have a witness who’s saying it was me.” Franky shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.

“But it wasn’t?” The blonde didn’t want to ask but she had to. She had to hear Franky say that it wasn’t her.

“What? Of course not!” The brunette held Bridget’s stare and the psychologist wasn’t able to see any indication that she was lying.

“What happened to your face?” The older woman ran her thumb over the scrape on Franky’s cheek again. It no longer looked raw but it was definitely red and sore.

“The alley was mostly dark. I ran into some fucking pallets. Then I got pissed off and punched one of them.” She held up her hand, showing her scraped knuckles. “You believe me, right?”

Bridget took the younger woman’s hand and kissed each battered knuckle. “Yes, baby, I believe you, but that’s not what’s important. We have to make them believe you too.”

“You believing me is what’s important to me.” Franky pulled her in for another kiss then held her close while Bridget rested her head in the crook of her neck. “I should have told you everything right when I got home.”

“It’s okay, baby. We just need to figure this out.” She wrapped her arms tighter around the brunette. “I’m going to schedule you in for some counselling sessions with me. It’s not much, but it will give us some time alone.”

“I’m not good at therapy, Gidge.” Franky tried weakly to make a joke.

Bridget gave a small laugh and glanced up at the clock on the wall. “Why don’t you change into something I brought you and I’ll take what you’re wearing home to be washed?”

“Are you saying I stink?” Franky laughed, pushing her away playfully.

“No, I-” Bridget began.

“I’m kidding, Gidge.” Franky laughed, taking off her t-shirt and throwing it at the blonde. She selected a clean outfit from the clothes Bridget had packed, and was just finished changing when Will came back to get her.

He knocked lightly and Bridget opened the door for him. “Sorry, Vera said a half hour then I had to come get you if you weren’t out.”

“No problem, Will.” Bridget gathered her papers, which were left untouched on the table, along with Franky’s dirty clothes, and headed to the door. She turned just before leaving. “Don’t forget your sessions, okay?” Franky nodded and the blonde was gone.

“Here’s your basket with some essentials.” He handed her a frosted plastic laundry basket with shampoo, soap, towels, washcloths, toothpaste and a toothbrush. “If you want anything else, there’s a special spend once a month and you can request it then. You can keep your own clothes for now or let one of the officers know, and they can have some teals brought over.”

“Thanks, Mr. Jackson.” Franky started putting her extra clothes into the basket when she felt Will come over and stood beside her.

“I know Vera said you had to call me that, but I’m still Will, and you’re still the Franky I met at Bridget’s birthday party, and who actually got Vera out on the dance floor at the club that night. Who we are doesn’t change just because we walk through those gates. Just keep your head down and we’ll get you through this, okay?” Franky nodded. “I’ll take you to your cell now.”

She followed him out of admissions and through the hallways. They finally arrived at a room, sectioned off from the main hallway by a black iron gate, that contained a common area with a table and chairs, couches, and a TV. There were several smaller rooms off on each side.

“H2, home sweet home. You’re second on the left. Lunch is in an hour.” Will turned and left as Franky entered her new home for who knew how long.


	16. Chapter 16

The next morning, Vera sat in her office going through Franky’s file. Bridget had told her some of what had happened with Franky and Kim Chang, and the events that had landed her in Wentworth, but the governor had to admit that the file was thicker than she had been expecting, and dated back to when Franky was still a teenager. There were a handful of cautions for possession of illegal drugs and one charge for trafficking of illegal drugs, which had been dropped. She continued down the list and saw a handful of minor assault and petty theft charges that had resulted either in probation or community service.

At the very bottom was a note about a serious assault charge that had been filed by a man named Michael Pennisi that had resulted in only a fine and community service. That was the type of charge that Vera knew should have amounted to more than it had. The name of the man listed also made something click in the governor’s mind, but she couldn’t quite place it. 

She sat the file aside and turned to her computer, opened up her web browser and typed in “Michael Pennisi”. The search immediately returned thousands of results. He was a celebrity chef who dealt mostly in reality-type tv shows, which would explain why the name had seemed vaguely familiar. Vera scrolled until she came to an article titled _“Network Cancels Reality Cooking Show After Contestant Brutally Assaults Host”_.

She clicked on the article and began to read. It appeared that about halfway through filming the show, Franky had had enough of Pennisi insulting her and her cooking skills, and had beaten the man after he made some particularly harsh comments towards her. There was a video on the page as well, and Vera clicked play. It showed Pennisi tasting the dish Franky had prepared and then promptly spitting it out on the floor. _“I wouldn’t feed this to my dog Francesca! Even if I did, he’d probably have enough sense not to eat it!”_. She watched as Franky punched the man once, then again, before he fell to the floor. She then dropped to her knees and punched him twice more before she was hauled away by two security guards. It appeared he had lost consciousness somewhere between the third and fourth punches.

Vera continued reading. The network had decided, that since so many people on the show, both contestants and crew members, were coming forward with stories about verbal and emotional abuse at the hands of Pennisi, to cancel the show and offer a payout to everyone to keep them quiet. The exception to this was Franky. She hadn’t been given a payout, of course, instead they had decided to file a lesser charge that would allow her to avoid a prison sentence.

The governor watched the video once more then sat back in her desk chair with her arms folded. This was not the Franky she knew. She could clearly see from the video that it was indeed the brunette who had assaulted that man, but it was at odds with the woman her best friend had fallen in love with. This version of Franky, on the monitor in front of her, was not the same one who she had watched patiently teach a five year old how to make omelettes and cookies, or who had excitedly planned a surprise party with her for her girlfriend, or who had danced with her just a couple of weeks earlier.

That was Vera’s emotional side talking, but she knew she was supposed to put that aside if she was going to do her job properly. If she only had the file and this video to go on, she would have said that Franky was a dangerous person who shouldn’t be trusted. She had worked in corrections long enough to know that people, especially criminals, could put up a good front and show you only what they wanted you to see. As the governor, she would be expected to treat her as she would with any other prisoner. The problem was, she wasn’t just any other prisoner. She was her best friend’s girlfriend, and someone that she would probably call a friend herself. Vera had never before experienced a conflict between her professional and personal lives, and she found it unnerving. For now, she decided it was best to keep Bridget and Franky apart, for their own safety, to give her time to talk to her friend, and make sure she knew what she had gotten herself into.

********

Bridget had a couple of appointments first thing that morning, so she wasn’t able to get to her computer until an hour or so after work had started. She opened up her scheduling program and clicked on a slot she had open for 11am that day. She looked at Franky’s file sitting on her desk. She hadn’t read it, and she wouldn’t. The brunette had shared a lot of things with her about her past, but she knew there was more that she was yet to open up and talk about. Bridget felt that reading her file would be a form of betrayal. She wanted to experience getting to know Franky with Franky, and not from some sterile, clinical file. People were so much deeper than what was written in those types of reports. She typed in Franky’s name and assigned her to the empty slot.

Whenever Bridget, or any other staff member, scheduled an appointment with an inmate, a notification was sent to Vera’s computer. Today, when Franky’s name popped up saying she had been scheduled for a psych session, Vera quickly cancelled it. She felt bad; she knew Bridget would be worried about how her girlfriend was settling in.

Bridget saw Franky’s name appear in the empty box on her screen, and then disappear seconds later. She thought maybe there had been a glitch with the system so she tried again. The result was the same. She made a note to mention it to Vera later, and decided that she’d leave that slot open and head to H-block to see if she could find Franky herself.

********

Franky had woken up early that morning and decided to head out to the exercise yard. When she was younger, she found that working out was an effective way to burn off some of the anger she had inside her. Now, she rarely went to the gym unless something big was bothering her. Today, it wasn’t so much that she was angry, but that she had too much energy to just sit around in her cell and wait for something to happen. She wouldn’t be given a work assignment since she was on remand, so she’d have to find something to fill her days.

She started out doing some curls with the free weights and it wasn’t long before one of the other inmates came up to her. She thought she recognized the girl from H2, but she wasn’t sure. She’d decided that the best way to get through her time there was to keep to herself and not make enemies, or friends.

The girl was young, Franky guessed maybe twenty, and was a bit shorter than her. She had long dark brown hair and brown eyes and was, in Franky’s opinion, attractive. She was someone she would have hooked up with had she met her before Bridget.

“Hey, you must work out a lot. It really looks like you know what you’re doing there,” the young woman said, looking Franky up and down.

Franky internally rolled her eyes. This so wasn’t what she needed right now. “Well, it’s not exactly complicated. You pick them up then put them down.” The brunette wasn’t usually so rude to people, but in here, she knew she needed to establish her boundaries right away.

The young woman didn’t seem to pick up on the fact that Franky was trying to blow her off. “I’m Hannah, by the way.”

“Franky.”

“Franky.” Hannah liked the way the name sounded in her mouth. “You know, if you ever need a spotter, I’m more than happy to help.”

“Yeah thanks, but I work out solo.” Her exercise time was supposed to clear her head, and she couldn’t do that with someone else around.

“Or, you know, if you need someone to hold the bag while you practice your punches, I’m up for that too.”

“Solo means alone.” Franky walked over to the rack and put the weights back, and Hannah followed. She clearly wasn’t going to get any more time to herself out here this morning.

“Yeah, sorry, I just thought-” She was cut off mid-sentence as the tall brunette turned and walked away from her.

“See ya around.” Franky raised her arm for the guard to unlock the gate and headed back to her cell. She needed to shower then find a way to kill the rest of the day. She hoped that Hannah would have work duty, so she wouldn’t have to deal with her again until much later.

********

Bridget was on her way to H-block when she met Will in the hallway.

“Hey, Bridget. Where are you headed?” Will always offered to escort her to wherever she was going, especially if things were tense in the prison. Bridget suspected now, however, that Vera had also told him to keep an eye on her and Franky to make sure that nothing happened to either of them.

“Oh, I’m just headed to see some of the new inmates,” She patted the stack of files she’d brought with her. “See how they’re all settling in. There’s a few I haven’t been able to schedule in yet for a one on one session.”

“Ah, I see.” Will looked at her for a moment. “So, you want me to walk you to H-block?”

Bridget smiled. “I think I’ll be okay, but thank you.” Will nodded and continued on.

She arrived at the unit just as Franky was returning from her shower, wrapped in a towel.

The brunette quickly scanned the unit when she saw Bridget approaching. “Gidge, what are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to see how you were doing. I tried to schedule a session with you this morning but it wouldn’t go through the system for some reason.” Bridget talked as she followed Franky to the door of her cell, and was about to walk in with her when the brunette stopped and turned around suddenly. 

“Gidge, you can’t come in with me.”

The blonde just looked at her girlfriend for a minute. “What? Why?” She couldn’t figure out why the other woman would be shy all of a sudden.

“Because there’s cameras everywhere. If we both walk in here with me in a towel and then I walk out completely dressed, how do you think that’ll look?” Franky raised her eyebrows, waiting for the older woman to process what she’d said. “Just give me a minute, then you can come in, okay?” Bridget nodded.

When Franky opened the door, the blonde carefully checked to make sure there was no one around who would see her enter the cell. Seeing no one, she slipped inside the door, and quickly closed it behind her. Franky’s arms were around her within seconds.

“I miss you so much, Gidge,” she whispered.

“I miss you too, baby.” Bridget held the brunette’s face and gave her a slow, deep kiss. “I can’t stay long.”

“I just want to hold you,” Franky tightened her grip around Bridget as the older woman nuzzled into her neck. She felt the blonde’s hands move under the back of her sweater to rest on the bare skin of her back. “No funny business, babe.”

She felt Bridget chuckle and place soft kisses at the base of her neck. “I just miss touching you. I miss having you next to me at night,” she murmured. 

“I know. I’ll be home soon, I promise.” Franky kissed the side of Bridget’s head.

There was a knock on the door of Franky’s cell and the two women quickly separated. The brunette put her finger to her lips, signalling Bridget to be quiet, and pointed for her to stand in a corner of the room behind the door, where she wouldn’t be seen. 

Franky opened the door just enough to put her head out and talk to whoever was outside.

“Hey, Franky,” Hannah said sweetly.

“What’s up?” She didn’t want to seem rude but she also didn’t want to invite anything from the young girl.

“I just thought I’d drop by and see how you’re doing. You were working out pretty hard earlier, I thought you might be sore.” She reached out and put a hand on the brunette’s shoulder.

Franky took a step back. “Nah, I’m fine. I’m just kind of busy, so I’ll catch you later, alright?” She didn’t give the girl a chance to answer, just closed the door and turned back to Bridget.

“Who was that?” Franky could tell that the blonde was trying to play it cool but there was an underlying tone to her question.

“Just some girl who was trying to talk to me while I was out in the exercise yard earlier.” The brunette shrugged. She knew that it was obvious that the girl was hitting on her, but she wasn’t interested and she needed Bridget to know that.

“I didn’t know you worked out and I’ve never seen you go to a gym.” The blonde had never once seen her girlfriend do any kind of exercise.

“I’ve been getting my exercise in a different way lately.” She winked at the blonde and saw her expression soften a little bit as she took her into her arms. “I love you, Gidge,” she said, placing a soft kiss on her lips.

“I love you too, baby. Just remember, I’m the only one who gets to help you with your workouts.” She moved her hand up into Franky’s hair and pulled her down for a smoldering kiss, only breaking away when she needed air. She lightly bit the brunette’s bottom lip. “I should go.” She broke away from the younger woman.

“Oof, Gidge, you can’t just start something you don’t plan to finish.” Franky held her arms out to either side.

Bridget gave her a wink and a coy smile. “I’m sure you can figure it out for yourself. Now, check and make sure there’s no one out there who’s going to see me leave.” 

Franky stuck her head out the door and looked around the unit then, seeing no one, opened the door so Bridget could exit.

********

Later that night, Franky laid in her cell thinking back over the day. It was too warm in there, and she was already wearing as few clothes as she dared. She couldn’t get comfortable; the mattress was too hard and the pillow was too lumpy. She missed Bridget’s bed that she could just sink into. She closed her eyes and thought of Bridget. She thought of the feeling of the blonde’s hands and mouth on her body. She thought of the kiss that she had left her with earlier in the day, and a shiver ran through her body. Had they been home, they would have ended up on the nearest surface making love. As it was though, she was alone in a small cell, on a single bed, and Bridget was at her house, in her bed, their bed, also alone.

She had on only a pair of shorts and a singlet. She let her hand trail down over her right breast, feeling her nipple harden as her fingers brushed over it. When she reached the spot where her top met her shorts, she let her hand slip underneath. She traced slow patterns on her skin, remembering the night when Bridget had taken the time to map all her tattoos with her lips. Her breath hitched as she passed over a particularly sensitive spot.

The brunette moved her left hand to the waistband of her shorts and flattened it against her stomach, letting it slide inside them. She let her fingers brush over her clit, a small whimper coming from her mouth, and moved farther down until they met the wetness that had begun to gather between her folds. As she pushed two fingers inside herself, she thought back to the night of Bridget’s birthday when the blonde had commanded her to lie down, and then proceeded to fuck her into speechlessness. She moved her hips, meeting her own thrusting fingers, and letting the base of her palm come into contact with her clit, causing friction there.

Franky could feel her orgasm quickly building and she moved her free hand back up to her breast, massaging it, and then pinching her nipple. Every pinch sent a jolt of electricity straight to her clit and she threw her head back, mouth open, and eyes shut tightly. She knew it would only take a few more thrusts of her fingers for her to finish and she took her bottom lip between her teeth, biting down, in an effort to keep quiet. It took one, two, three more thrusts until she felt her muscles clamp down on her fingers and the waves of pleasure washed over her.

As she brought herself down, she realized just how much she was missing her girlfriend. It had felt good, but it wasn’t the same. There was no one to hold after, or talk to, or fall asleep with. She turned on her side, determined to sleep for at least a few hours, and in the morning she’d ask about scheduling a session with Bridget.

********

Hannah let the corner of the curtain fall back over the window of the cell door. She had only intended to watch the brunette sleep for a few minutes, but when she arrived, she’d been witness to much more. She wondered who Franky was thinking about while she touched herself. The young woman thought that maybe the brunette was thinking of her, and the offer of the massage she had suggested earlier. Having seen the other woman settle in for the night, Hannah made her way back to her cell. With this new love blossoming, she’d definitely have something to talk about in her counseling session tomorrow.


	17. Chapter 17

Bridget had only just arrived at work when there was a knock on her office door. “Come in,” she called.

“Bridget.” It was Vera. “The police are here to interview you about Franky.” Normally, the governor would have made small talk with her friend, but she was feeling awkward about the whole situation with Franky, and she hadn’t had a chance to tell Bridget what she’d learned yet. She had cancelled the session that Bridget had tried to schedule yesterday with the brunette, but she knew she wouldn’t get away with that for long, nor did she want to. She and the blonde had always had a very open friendship, and this went against that.

“Why? I didn’t do her psych assessment. I can’t even seem to schedule a session with her.”

“I don’t think they want to talk to you in a professional capacity.” Vera couldn’t meet her friend’s eyes.

“Oh, right. Okay then.” Bridget grabbed her swipe card and keys and followed Vera to one of the meeting rooms.

Vera opened the door for Bridget and the blonde stepped inside.

“Ms. Westfall, I’m Detective Lewis and this is Detective Anders,” the man introduced himself and his partner. “If you’d please take a seat. We just have a few questions we’d like to ask you.” He motioned to the chair on the opposite side of the table as both detectives sat down.

Bridget sat down. “I assume this is nothing I’ll need a lawyer for?”

“No, ma’am,” Detective Anders replied. “You’re not a suspect. We just need some information about the events leading up to the night of the incident and we have a few questions about what happened at the house that night.”

Bridget nodded and Detective Lewis began the interview. “Can you state for the record the nature of your relationship with Francesca Doyle?”

“She’s my girlfriend.” Bridget would give short, to the point answers, and nothing more. She knew they might be looking for anything they could find to poke holes in Franky’s statement.

“And how long has this relationship been going on?” Detective Lewis was making notes as he went along.

“About two months.”

“And in that time, have you ever seen her become violent or aggressive?” He had his pen poised over the notebook paper, waiting for Bridget’s response.

The blonde thought about her answer. If she said yes, she’d be helping them build their case against her girlfriend. If she said no, she’d be lying, and if they found out, her entire statement could be thrown out and she could be charged with obstructing an investigation.

“She restrained an intruder in our home.” Bridget reasoned that this wasn’t the whole truth, but it wasn’t a lie either.

“Are you referring to the night when Kim Chang entered your house?” Detective Anders asked.

“Yes.”

“And at no other time have you seen her become violent or aggressive?” Bridget remembered the night at Franky’s apartment where the brunette ended up punching the door frame. Detective Lewis continued, “We have a statement from a neighbour in Franky’s apartment building. It states that she witnessed an argument between Franky and a woman who fits the victim’s description. She says there was also a woman there matching your description. Was that you, Ms. Westfall?”

“I was at Franky’s apartment the night that Kim showed up there, yes.” She crossed her arms and sat up straighter in the chair.

“The witness said Franky yelled at her to go back into her apartment and that she heard sounds of a physical altercation. Was there a physical altercation that night?”

“No.”

“Are you sure, Ms. Westfall?” It was Detective Anders’ turn to try for an answer from the blonde.

“I’m sure.” Franky punched a wall, not a person, and in Bridget’s mind that was far from a physical altercation.

Both Detectives regarded her and she met both of their stares with unwavering confidence.

“Very well, let’s move on to the night in question, shall we?” Detective Lewis shuffled some papers until he came to the report he was looking for. “Ms. Doyle stated that you were both in bed when she heard someone enter the house. When she went into the hallway, she saw the victim and restrained her. There was an exchange that took place, which ended with Ms. Doyle leaving with the victim. Is that correct so far?” Bridget nodded. “Do you know approximately how long it was before she returned back to your house?”

“She was back a little over an hour later.” Bridget knew she had been gone exactly sixty-seven minutes because she had watched every one of them tick by.

“How was she when she got back?”

“She was agitated and upset which is to be expected, given the situation.”

“And what was the situation?” Detective Lewis asked.

“Someone had just broken into our home, and admitted they were looking to kidnap my five year old niece as a way to punish Franky for cancelling a date. So yeah, I think it’s expected that she’d be upset. She loves Em very much.” The blonde knew she was getting emotional and she took a deep breath to calm herself.

“Did she tell you what happened in the time that she was gone?” It was Detective Anders’ turn to take over.

Bridget thought about this for a moment. Franky had not told her that night, or gotten the chance to tell her in the morning. She had only heard that part of the story when she was doing her fake intake psych evaluation. Does she admit that she talked with Franky after she got in here and risk putting Vera in an awkward position or does she lie and say she doesn’t know what happened?

She opted for a partial truth again. “She told me after she was arrested, yes.” She left out the details of when and where.

“Ms. Westfall, are you aware that the drive from your house to Kim’s apartment and back should have only taken about forty minutes?” Bridget didn’t know where Kim lived, but she knew that this fact alone made things look very bad for her girlfriend.”She never mentioned what she did with those extra twenty or so minutes?” The blonde sat with a level stare, not saying anything. “Those extra minutes would have been enough for her to stop by her apartment on the way back to your place. Did she mention if that’s what she did?”

“No,” Bridget didn’t have an answer for the missing time and she wanted this to be over. “Look, I’ve told you everything I know so I’d like to get back to work, yeah? I’ve got appointments scheduled for the rest of the morning.”

The detectives looked at each other and Detective Anders shrugged. “Sure, just don’t go too far. We may have more questions for you later on.”

Bridget gave a quick, single nod of her head, got up and exited the room.

********

“Doyle!” Franky was startled from her thoughts by Vera calling her name when she suddenly appeared in the brunette’s doorway. “The police are here to see you.”

“What’s this about?” The brunette had already done her interview with the detectives at the station. She figured this had something to do with their investigation, but she was confident that they wouldn’t turn up anything she hadn’t already told them about. She briefly thought that maybe they were letting her go, because they realized they had the wrong person, but for some reason she had a bad feeling about it. “Am I going to be able to schedule a session with Bridget today?”

“Probably not. She doesn’t have any free slots today.” Vera escorted her to one of the private interview rooms in the visitor’s area where Detectives Lewis and Anders were waiting for her. They had a couple of files laid out on the table as well as a stack of photographs.

“Have a seat, Ms. Doyle,” Detective Lewis said, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table with his partner.

Franky sat down and crossed her arms.

Detective Anders took the lead in the questioning this time. “As you may remember, the last time we talked, we informed you that we were going to be conducting a search of your apartment. It was based off of statements made by your neighbours, and we have a witness, who was on the street that night. Both suggested that you had violent encounters with the victim, Kim Chang. Do you remember when we asked you if there was anything you wanted to tell us about before we went in there?”

“Yeah, I remember. Find anything fun?” Franky knew she was probably provoking them more than she should, but was tired of being accused of something she didn’t do.

“I’m not sure what your definition of fun is, but we did find this.” Anders slid a photograph in front of Franky. “Look familiar?”

It was a picture of a kitchen towel with blood on it. When Franky saw it, she knew exactly where it came from. The night that Kim had shown up after her date with Bridget, she’d given it to her to wrap her hand, and Kim had thrown it back in her face before she left. When Bridget called, she had tossed it aside and left her apartment. She must have forgotten to gather it up for the laundry; not surprising considering how little time she had spent there since that night. The brunette knew that this looked really bad, and she was torn as to what her answer should be.

“Remember the night I told you she came to my place after Bridget left, and she threw shit around?” She decided she had nothing to lose at this point. “She broke wine glasses. When she picked up a broken piece to throw at me again, she cut her hand. I gave her the towel to wrap it and she threw it back at me on her way out.”

“In your statement you said that incident occurred almost two months ago. Why is the towel still there after all this time?” Detective Anders was referring back to the report of Franky’s statement from the night she was brought in. Franky shrugged. “Here’s what we think happened. We think you stopped by your apartment on your way back to your girlfriend’s house, and cleaned the victim’s blood off you. That’s where that towel came from, not from the incident two months ago.”

“That’s bullshit!” Franky spat back at them.

“We interviewed Ms. Westfall. She stated that you were gone a little over an hour and that when you returned, you were agitated and upset. That leaves over twenty minutes that are unaccounted for. Care to explain?”

“I took the long way back. I needed time to cool down.” It was the truth. Franky had taken every backstreet she knew on the way back to Bridget’s to give herself time to clear her mind a bit.

“Any way you can prove that?” Detective Lewis asked.

Franky threw up her hands and let them drop on the table. “Why don’t you just ask Kim what happened? Or is she saying that I did it?”

“Ms. Chang isn’t saying anything. She’s in a coma.” Detective Anders put another photo in front of Franky. It was a picture of Kim that had been taken at the hospital. Her face was badly beaten, bruised and swollen, and she was hooked up to various machines.

Franky looked away and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and looked across the table. “You think I did this?” She gestured towards the picture and the officers remained silent. “I can barely fucking look at this picture, and you think I did it?”

“We have to go by the evidence we have, Ms. Doyle,” Detective Anders said. “The reason for our visit today was to inform you of the additional evidence we found during the search of your apartment and to inform you that, based on said evidence, we are formally charging you with the assault on Kim Chang. If her injuries result in death, we will be adding a murder charge as well.”

“What the fuck?! I didn’t do this!” Franky slammed her fist on the table.

“Then you had better pray that she wakes up and tells us that,” Detective Anders said, gathering their papers and photographs.

Detective Lewis motioned to the officer on duty to let them know they were done, and Franky could go back to her cell. “We’ll keep the governor informed of the victim’s condition,” he said on his way out of the room.

********

Bridget was just finishing going through the file on her next client of the day, Hannah Jones, when there was a knock at the door. “Yes?”

The door opened and an officer led Hannah into the office. “Jones is here for her one o’clock appointment.”

“Uh, yes, thank you.” The officer shut the door and Bridget got up to greet the inmate. “G’day Hannah, I’m Bridget. Have a seat.” The blonde always tried to greet the inmates warmly. She wanted them to feel like her office was a safe space where they could talk about anything that was on their mind. “You’ve been here a couple of weeks. How are you settling in?”

“Alright, I guess.” Bridget was quiet, hoping to encourage the young woman to continue with her thoughts. “The people here are okay. Some are nicer than others though.”

“I think that could be a true statement anytime you have a large group of people. Is there anything in particular that’s happened that you’d like to talk about?” Bridget sat back in her chair, ready to listen.

“There’s someone….special. She’s new, but I feel like we have a connection. Is that odd?” Hannah was thinking, of course, of her interactions with Franky, and what she had witnessed that night in Franky’s cell.

“I think that sometimes people come into your life, and there’s an instant attraction or connection that’s not easily explained. Have you discussed how you’re feeling with her?” The blonde knew it wasn’t always possible to be open about feelings and emotions in a prison setting, but she always advocated for it when it was an option.

“We’re definitely on the same page.” Hannah’s face lit up.

“Well, that’s great then!” Bridget said, glancing down at the file sitting on her lap. Normally, she didn’t like to be distracted with paperwork or taking notes during sessions, but with new inmates, she sometimes found it useful to make sure she didn’t miss anything important.

While she was scanning her list of questions, Hannah continued. “I just feel like we’ve got this connection that’s different from anyone else.” Bridget sat back, letting the young woman lead the session. “She’s so beautiful, and she has this tattoo on her ribs and stomach. I think it’s really sensitive because she likes to have it touched. I can tell it turns her on; running fingers up and down the branches and around the flowers.” The blonde shifted in her chair, she did not like this at all. “And how she bites her lip right at the end. I think she’s trying to stay quiet.”

“Okay, I’m going to stop you there. I’m not sure how these details are relevant to our session. Things like this are usually private between the two people involved.” Bridget knew that sometimes inmates were trying to get a reaction out of her; to see how far they could push her. Usually, this wouldn’t have bothered her in the least, however, she knew the details that Hannah was listing all too well. She was talking about Franky. The blonde was confident that Franky wouldn’t cheat on her, but how could this other woman know these details? Had she slept with Franky on the outside before Bridget had met her? She felt the jealousy bubbling up inside of her.

“Oh, she won’t mind. These sessions are confidential anyway, right?”

“They are.” Bridget was ready for this to be over. “I think you should discuss with her how open she wants you to be though. Communication is key to a healthy relationship. So let’s leave this topic for today, we can come back to it in the next session if you’d like. Are you having any other issues or difficulties? Any trouble sleeping?”

Bridget managed to get through the rest of the hour, then sent Hannah back to her work unit with the officer. She needed to talk to Franky, and somehow find out how Hannah knew the things she did. She glanced at the clock. She had one more appointment before she had her free slot where she could go and see the brunette. 

********

Franky had just returned from talking to the detectives, and was pacing back and forth in her cell. She heard a small knock on the open door, and turned to see who was there.

“Hey, Franky.” Hannah stood in the doorway, waiting to be asked inside.

“I thought you had work unit now.” There was no way Franky wanted to deal with her right at this moment.

“I do, but, I just came from my psych session, and I need to talk to you.” She looked at the floor, and then up at Franky, hopefully. “She’s uh, encouraged me to talk to you about something.”

The brunette was confused as to why Bridget would suggest that Hannah come talk to her when she clearly wasn’t too pleased with it the other day. She decided though that if her girlfriend had sent this woman to talk to her then she must have had a good reason.

“Okay, what is it?” Franky would hear her out, but she didn’t want it to take any longer than necessary.

“I told her about these feelings.” Hannah looked to the floor again. “Our feelings. She said I should talk to you about them.”

“Wait. What? What are you talking about?” Franky couldn’t make sense of what the other woman was saying.

“I told her how we’ve got this connection, and I really think it could be something special.” Hannah took a step into Franky’s cell.

“Hannah, I’m just going to stop you there.” The brunette could tell that while the young woman may be delusional about what was going on, she wasn’t the same kind of crazy as Kim. She needed to be firm without hurting her feelings. “I think you’re a nice girl, but there’s no connection between us like you’re thinking. I’m sure you’ll find someone great, but it’s not me. Okay?”

“But what about last night?” Franky could see the tears forming in Hannah’s eyes.

“What about last night?” Nothing out of the ordinary had happened that the brunette could recall.

“I saw you. You were thinking about me.” Hannah’s voice was small now. Franky gave her a confused look, so she continued. “In your cell, when you went to bed. I saw you...you know, and I could just tell you were thinking about how I had offered you that massage after your workout.”

The brunette’s eyes were wide. “You spied on me?!” It came out louder than she had intended.

“No! Not ‘spied’. Just...looked through the window.” Hannah shifted her feet nervously.

“Okay, look, I don’t know what made you think there were any feelings between us, but there’s not, and there won’t ever be. And looking through my window, watching me sleep..or whatever, is not okay. Got it?” The younger woman nodded slowly. “You should go back to your work unit now before they realize you should have been back earlier.”

Hannah turned without another word and left H2. Franky dropped onto her bed, looking up at the ceiling. She wondered what she’d done to keep attracting problems like this in her life. And what had Bridget been thinking? She couldn’t have known exactly who Hannah was talking about. She really needed to see Bridget soon.

********

As soon as her session had finished, Bridget grabbed her keys and swipe card and headed for H2 to find Franky. When she arrived, she found that the common area was deserted. She walked through quickly, checking to see if there were inmates in any of the cells. There was one door that was closed, but she wasn’t worried about someone who wouldn’t be able to see her go into the brunette’s cell. She came to Franky’s door, which was also closed, and knocked lightly. She heard a soft “Yeah?” from inside. She took one last glance around the common area, and seeing no one, opened the door quickly and stepped inside, closing it behind her.

Franky was laying on her bed, reading a book she had borrowed from the prison library. She looked up when the door opened, and seeing that it was Bridget who’d come to visit her, quickly stood up and put out her arms to embrace her.

Bridget melted into her. “How was your interview this morning, baby?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve told them all I know, and now they’re just asking the same bullshit all over again.” Franky definitely didn’t want to talk about anything that had happened in that interview this morning. She had Bridget in her arms and that was all she cared about.

The blonde pulled back. “I need to ask you something, and I want full honesty.” Bridget looked into Franky’s eyes and made sure that she had the brunette’s full attention before she continued. “Did anything happen with that girl who came to see you the other day when I was here?”

Franky dropped her arms and took a step back. “No, but I know why you’re asking.” The blonde waited for her to continue. “She told you we had feelings for each other, didn’t she? In her session.”

“You know I can’t tell you that.”

“She came here right after her session and told me what she said to you, and that you encouraged her to talk to whoever it was. I’m assuming you didn’t know until after that, that it was me. She also said she watched me through my window the other night.” When Bridget didn’t react, Franky sighed, realizing she was going to have to explain it. “When you told me to ‘look after it’ when you left the other day, well, that night I did, and she saw it. So if she told you anything else, that’s where it came from. Fucking creep. I would never cheat on you, Gidge.”

“You’d better not. You know why?” Franky stood her ground when the blonde stepped forward. “Because you’re mine.”

The words sent a shot of arousal through the brunette, and Franky nodded, “I know, babe.” She could feel her heart racing.

“Do you?” Bridget moved so her face was just inches from Franky’s. “Show me.”

Franky quickly unbuttoned her pants and shoved Bridget’s hand inside so she could feel how wet she was.

Bridget moved her fingers slightly to tease Franky a bit. “Mine.” Franky gasped, meeting the blonde’s blue eyes. She nodded once, and Bridget pushed two fingers inside her, crashing their lips together.

Bridget walked forward, forcing the brunette back against the far wall of the cell. Franky reached out and grabbed onto her hips, pulling the older woman harder against her.

The blonde was working Franky up quickly, thrusting in hard with her fingers. She curled them each time as she dragged them out, making Franky tighten her grip on her hips. Bridget knew she’d probably have bruises there later, but she didn’t care. The brunette was breathing hard, and struggling to keep quiet. Bridget hit a particularly sensitive spot, and Franky let out a moan.

“Quiet, baby,” Bridget whispered in her girlfriend’s ear.

“Fuck, I can’t.” Franky buried her face in Bridget’s shoulder to muffle the sounds coming from her mouth. She moved her hips to meet the older woman’s fingers.

“You’re close, hmm baby?” The blonde could feel the muscles around her fingers start to flutter. She flicked her thumb back and forth over the brunette’s clit.

“Ahhh,” Franky dug her fingers into Bridget’s hips, making the blonde take in a sharp breath. “Yeah, I a-“

“Tell me what you need.” Bridget pulled back slightly, forcing Franky to lift her head.

“Kiss me.” The brunette no more than had the words out of her mouth and Bridget’s lips were on hers, her tongue massaging.

It only took a few more thrusts and flicks of Bridget’s thumb for Franky to come. The blonde pulled the brunette’s head back down to her shoulder so that they wouldn’t be heard. She gradually slowed her fingers, letting Franky come down. Bridget felt a kiss on the side of her neck and another on her jaw when the younger woman finally picked up her head to look at her. She gently removed her fingers from Franky’s pants and wrapped her arms around her.

“I’m yours.” Franky looked into those blue eyes and realized for the first time that she didn’t mind saying she belonged to someone, but it had to work both ways. “And you’re mine.”

Bridget held her stare. “Fucking right, I am.”

Franky broke out in a smile and kissed her girlfriend long and slow.

When they finally broke apart, Bridget was the first to speak. “I should go, baby. I have a session soon.”

“Yeah, you’re in high demand. I couldn’t even book with you today. What did you do, cancel something to come here and see me?” Franky smiled and winked at the blonde.

“What?” Bridget looked confused.

“Yeah, I asked Vera on the way to my interview this morning if I could book a session with you today and she said you didn’t have any free slots.”

“I had two this afternoon. Why would she tell you that?” Bridget thought for a moment. “She’s been acting a bit strange lately.” She thought back to how her friend wouldn’t look her in the eye when she came to get her for her interview. “I tried to schedule something with you the day after you got here too and the system wouldn’t let me. Something’s going on. I’ll talk to her, okay?” Franky nodded and gave Bridget one last kiss.

She opened the door and checked that no one was in the common room, and seeing that it was empty, she motioned for Bridget to leave. On her way out, the blonde noticed the singlet and shorts that Franky slept in were folded, and placed on top of her shelving unit. She stopped for a second and looked at them. “Can I take this?” she asked, picking up the singlet. The brunette looked at her, confused for a moment, and Bridget started to explain. “I just-“

Franky then realized then why she wanted it. “Yeah, Gidge. Go ahead.” She smiled as Bridget partially unfolded it then unzipped her jacket and placed it inside before pulling up the zipper again. The brunette gave her a warm smile as she left.

Bridget ran her hands down the front of her jacket to smooth it out, and almost ran into Lucy Gambaro who had just come around the corner. “Oh, g’day, Lucy.”

“Ms Westfall.” Juice looked her up and down. “Having a good afternoon?” She gave a laugh, and walked past her into H2 while Bridget continued back to her office.

She walked up and down the common room looking into each cell, and stopping when she came to the only one that was currently occupied; Franky’s. Luckily, the brunette had heard her speak to Bridget and she had quickly grabbed her book and sat back on the bed.

“Well, look at what we have here.” Juice leaned against the doorframe.

“What do you want?” Franky asked, not looking up from her book.

“Oh, nothing. Say, aren’t you the one who was having the lunch date with the psych lady awhile back?” Franky glanced up and shrugged. “Yeah, I think you were. That explains the house call then.” She let out a laugh. “You’re a hot one, she’s got good taste. And speaking of taste, how’s yours?”

“Fuck off.” Franky went back to reading.

“Be careful, you might need something from me someday.” Juice sneered and turned to leave.

Franky made a mental note to ask Vera what the deal was with this disgusting woman.


	18. Chapter 18

Bridget knew this weekend was going to be the longest one of her life. It was the first one without Franky since they’d met. It was only Friday evening, and she was already counting down the minutes until she was back at work on Monday. Normally, she loved the weekends, as Franky rarely had to work, and they were free to spend it all together. Tonight however, she sat at home with a bottle of wine, and tried to forget the fact that she was alone. She went from having her home filled with two people she loved very much, to being the only person there, all in less than a twenty-four hour period. Emily would be back this weekend, but of course she would be living with her father, and not with Bridget anymore. As for Franky, after her interview that morning, she sensed that she may not be home for quite some time.

She knew it had been reckless for her to go visit the brunette in her cell that afternoon. She knew it was even more reckless to have fucked her where anyone could have heard them, or walked in. Deep down, she knew that Franky would never cheat on her, but after what Hannah had said in her session, the blonde felt like she had a point to make. She poured another glass of wine.

She needed to talk to Vera. She kept thinking about what Franky had said; that Vera had told her Bridget wasn’t available that day, when in fact she had two hours free in the afternoon. Vera had let the blonde see Franky during the intake process, but from that point on, the governor had not agreed to let them have any more time together. She’d seen the look on Vera’s face when she had mentioned that she hadn’t been able to put Franky on her schedule. She didn’t want to believe that her friend would be actively keeping them from seeing each other but it looked like that was the case.

She glanced at her phone, which was on the coffee table, and briefly thought of calling Vera, before deciding against it. There was a kind of unwritten rule they had about dealing with work issues on personal time, a rule that Bridget thought was necessary because it was important to leave the daily stresses behind them when they left the prison gates. Now, however, Bridget didn’t know where her work life stopped, and her personal life began. The two had collided in about as messy a way as possible.

Everywhere she looked in the house, she saw reminders of the brunette. In the kitchen was her set of chef’s knives, rolled up in their bag on the counter. When Franky had brought them over, the blonde had made the comment that she had a perfectly good set of knives already, which prompted the younger woman to explain the specific use of each knife in her set, and why she had chosen that particular brand. In the end, Bridget had just smiled and made space for them beside her own set.

She looked to her left and saw Franky’s sweater thrown over the back of the other half of the L-shaped couch. After Emily had left and she had told Franky the good news, that the little girl was coming back, they had laid on the couch together and watched a movie. About halfway through, the brunette had gotten too warm and took off the sweater, leaving her in just her t-shirt. Bridget hadn’t bothered to put it away yet.

She picked up the bottle to pour herself another glass of wine and realized that it was empty, so she took that as her cue to head to bed. She looked toward the entryway on her way towards the bathroom and saw Franky’s shoes. They were scattered as usual, and most of the time, she would have straightened them up out of habit, but now, she wanted them left just as Franky had left them. She continued into the bathroom where she saw Franky’s toothbrush on the sink and toiletries in the shower. She turned around and went right back out into the hallway; she didn’t want to look at anything else tonight.

She got undressed and found a clean pair of shorts to sleep in. She looked toward the chair in the corner of the room. The singlet she’d taken from Franky’s cell was laying there, still folded. She picked it up and put it on, crawling into bed. It smelled like Franky, a mixture of her and her body wash. She must have showered right before she put it on last night. Bridget closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. If she concentrated hard enough, she could almost feel Franky pressed against her back, her arms wrapped around her. The brunette always wanted to be holding one of Bridget’s hands, too. The blonde had never had a partner who did that when they held her, so she didn’t know, until Franky did it, how comforting she found it. This was the time when she missed her the most. She missed being held while she was falling asleep, and feeling the small kisses that Franky would leave on the back of her neck and shoulders that would make all her stress and tension melt away. What she missed the most though were the talks they had some nights while they were laying in each other’s arms. That was when the brunette usually told her things about her past, and when they had some of their deeper conversations. Something about being relaxed, sleepy, and close to Bridget, made Franky drop her walls and open up.

She’d give anything to be having one of those talks with her girlfriend right now, but it wasn’t possible. Her mind drifted back to the nights before Franky was staying there almost full-time. She remembered her hesitation to call her that first night, and the excuse she’d had to make about needing advice on how to make Emily’s sandwich in the morning. She thought of when she called her almost immediately after she’d gotten home from their first date. That was probably the closest to a booty call that the blonde had ever made. She smiled at the memory, but it quickly faded. She’d even settle for just a phone call now; just being able to hear Franky’s voice as she fell asleep. She glanced up at her phone sitting on the bedside table, then turned over to see that Franky’s was still laying on the table on her side of the bed. She reached over and picked it up. It was dead, of course, after almost a week. She had an idea. Maybe it was crazy, and maybe it wouldn’t work, but she had to at least try it.

********

The next morning Bridget awoke, feeling the effects of the bottle of wine she had drank the previous evening. She forced herself out of bed anyway; she had things to do before Emily and Tim arrived. She quickly showered, dressed and headed out the door.

On the top of her list that day was picking up a burner phone. She had briefly thought of bringing Franky her own phone, but then realized that was too risky. If she were to get caught, it was better for it to be a burner phone, rather than her own. At least she would have a chance of being able to deny that it belonged to her. After she had picked that up, she stopped by the grocery store and picked up some of Em’s favourite snacks in case she was hungry when they stopped by. Also, she needed a way to distract her while she talked to Tim about everything that was going on with Franky. Normally, her and her brother talked at least twice a week, but with him being busy with the move, they had only been able to send a few texts since he left. She had told him that Franky had been arrested and it was a mistake but he didn’t know any of the details.

********

It was late afternoon when Tim and Emily arrived at Bridget’s house. She had offered to pick them up, but Tim said the company was sending a car for them so there was no need. He promised as soon as they were settled, they would come over to see her. Apparently, Em was already asking for a sleepover with her Auntie Bridge.

“Auntie Bridge!” The young girl ran to her aunt.

Bridget picked her up in a big hug. “Hello, darling. I’ve missed you,” she said, giving the girl a kiss on the cheek.

“I missed you too.” Bridget put her niece back down on the floor and the small blonde looked past her, scanning the main rooms of the house. “Where’s Franky?” Emily looked at her Aunt and then at her father.

Bridget caught Tim’s eye, and gave him a questioning look.

“I did tell her. Well, I told her that Franky wouldn't be here when we arrived. I didn't know ho-"

Bridget held up her hand to cut him off and shook her head. She didn't want to get into a discussion in front of Emily. Tim wasn't great at having the hard conversations sometimes, so Bridget knew he'd done the best he could. She would talk to Emily later. For now though, she needed to get her settled so she could talk with Tim.

"Love, Franky isn't here right now." Bridget crouched down in front of the girl. "Can you do me a favour?" Emily nodded. "If I make you a snack and find a movie for you to watch, can you give your Dad and me some time to talk about some grown-up stuff out on the patio?" Emily nodded and Bridget gave her a hug then set to work making a snack for her.

Bridget and Tim sat out on the patio with their mugs full of tea, while Emily ate and watched her movie inside.

"So, Bridge, what happened?" Tim was genuinely concerned. He had met Franky, and had nothing but good things to say about her to Bridget. He could see how happy she made his sister, and he had never seen Emily take to anyone who wasn't a family member, so easily or quickly. He had a hard time believing this woman could have done anything to land herself in prison, let alone something as violent as what she was charged with.

"It's such a mess, Tim." Bridget wrapped her hands around her mug and stared at the contents while she spoke. "We had that lovely afternoon with you and Em, and then she was so excited when I told her that you guys were moving here." She smiled at the memory of how Franky's face had lit up when she told her the news. "And then, we're in bed and she hears something and it was this woman, this ex of hers that had been hanging around. She calmed her down and drove her home but they're saying that she beat her until she was unconscious. Tim, I know there's no way that's true. That's not her." Bridget shook her head as the tears came to her eyes.

"Hey, hey." he reached out and rubbed her back. "you know her. You know in your heart who she is. If you don't believe she could have done this then she didn't and they'll see that soon too."

"I just miss her, so much." Bridget looked into the sky and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry I didn't explain things better to Em." Tim played with his mug. "I've never been good with having any kind of serious talks with her. Sarah was the one who handled all that stuff, and I just got to do the fun parts with her."

"It's okay, I don't mind talking to her. I just didn't want her to be too disappointed when she got here." She knew that Emily had been through a lot lately.

"She's going to ask you if she can stay over. If you want to say no, I completely understand."

"She can stay. It'll be nice to have some company again." Bridget smiled weakly at her brother.

Tim and Bridget finished their tea and went inside to sit with Emily.

They both sat on the couch and Emily got up from the floor to sit between them.

"Auntie Bridge, can I stay tonight? I want to be here when Franky gets home." Bridget knew that Emily had no idea, in that moment, how much her words made Bridget's heart hurt.

"Yes, darling, you can stay, but Franky won't be home tonight or even tomorrow." Emily looked at Bridget, not quite understanding.

"Is she away on a trip like Dad was?"

"She had to go somewhere, but can we wait, and talk about that a bit later? We should have some supper with your Dad before he goes back to your house, yeah?" Emily nodded.

"Are you going to cook?" Emily looked expectantly at her Aunt.

"I was thinking we could just order something this time. We both know I'm not the cook around here." She nudged Emily's arm and they both giggled a bit. Bridget sighed, it was good to have at least part of her life going right.

********

They had finished up their meal and Tim had left saying he'd be back to pick up Emily in the morning but for Bridget to call if she needed him before that. The young girl was cuddled into her Aunt on the couch, and they were finishing the movie she had started watching earlier.

"Where did Franky go?" The girl looked up at Bridget.

"She had to go away for awhile. She didn't want to, but she had to." Bridget had no idea how she was going to explain how someone who was innocent could end up in prison.

"When will she be back?"

"I don't know. Soon, I hope." She could see that Emily was thinking.

"Did you punch her in the stomach?" The young girl asked after a moment.

"No, why would you ask that?" Bridget wasn't following her niece's reasoning.

"Because when Lilly wanted Dylan to leave her alone, she punched him in the stomach." Bridget remembered back to the talk she'd had with Emily when she told her Franky was her girlfriend, and how the girl had already figured it out on her own. Emily continued, "Did you tell her to go away?"

"I definitely didn't tell her to go away." Bridget thought it was time to just tell her what had happened. She took a deep breath. "Love, Franky had to go away because the police think she did something bad, but she didn't do it."

"Did she have to go to where you work?" Emily was quick to put the pieces together.

"Yes, she had to go where I work."

"You said you help people get out of there, so why don't you get Franky out? You can tell them she didn't do it." Emily was excited, as if she had just found the solution to all their problems.

"I can't, love. It's not that simple." Oh, if only it was, thought Bridget.

Emily got quiet again. "Don't you love her anymore?"

The question caught the blonde off guard. "Of course I do."

"You're supposed to help people you love."

"I know. I'm going to do my best, I promise." Bridget was doing her best not to let any tears fall, but when Emily hugged her, burying her face in her sweater, she couldn't help the couple that escaped her eyes. She quickly wiped them away. "What do you say we get you into bed? It's been a long day for you."

Emily hopped down off the couch and Bridget walked with her to the spare bedroom that she had called her own for the past two months up until last week. The blonde read her a story from one of the books she had brought with her and soon the girl was fast asleep.

Bridget decided that she would go to bed early as well. It had been a long, draining day in more ways than one and she would be happy to see it end. She changed out of her clothes and into her shorts and the singlet she'd taken from Franky the day before, and crawled into her bed.

She tried to sleep but she kept thinking of Franky, alone in Wentworth. She would have been so happy to see Emily today. They probably would have made supper together for everyone. She pictured the many times she had come home from work and the two of them were waiting to share one of their new kitchen creations with her.

Eventually the tears came as they had almost every night since Franky had been gone. After a few moments, she heard the knob on her bedroom door turn quietly, and small footsteps approach the bed. She opened her eyes and Emily was standing in front of her.

The young girl reached up and wiped the tears from Bridget's face. "Are you sad because you miss Franky?"

"Yeah, I am. Did you need something, love?" Bridget thought maybe the girl had woken from a nightmare again.

"No, I came because you were sad," she said, lifting the covers and crawling into the bed with her Aunt.

Bridget put her arms around the girl. "Thank you," she said, kissing her on the side of her head. "Let's go to sleep now."

********

"Franky, you've got a visitor." Will had appeared at the door of Franky's cell just after lunch on Sunday.

"I'm not expecting anyone. Is it Bridget?" Franky followed him towards the visitation area.

"It's not Bridget. I think they said her name was Liz."

Will opened the door and Franky saw the curly-haired blonde sitting at one of the tables waiting for her. She quickly crossed the room and embraced her as Liz stood up.

"Franky, love, what the hell happened? And why didn't you tell me you were in here? I had to hear it from the director of the centre when he asked me to cover your classes!" Liz looked at the brunette and Franky knew that she'd made a mistake by not getting in touch with her friend. Liz had always been good to her.

"Ah, Liz, I'm sorry. I should have called you or at least had Bridget tell you. It's such a fucking mess. I don't even know where to start." Franky rested her head in her hand.

"Just start from the beginning, love."

Franky told Liz everything. About how she had broken things off with Kim when she met Bridget, about Kim coming to the centre, and her apartment, following her from the coffee shop and then finally, she told her about the night Kim showed up at Bridget's house.

"I was mad, yeah, of course I was, but I never touched her after we left the house. I swear, Liz." Franky wiped away a tear that was running down her cheek.

Liz reached over and took one of the younger woman's hands in both of hers. "I know. I believe you. You've come such a long way, and I'm proud of you. Things are going to work out, love. We'll do whatever we have to to help get you out of here. The girls all send their love, too."

"Thanks Liz. I just want to go home. I want to be back to my normal life with all you guys and Bridget. Em will be back soon too. I can't let her see me in here." She wiped more tears from her face.

The officer called out that visiting hours were now over and Franky gave Liz a long hug goodbye.

"Stay strong, love," the older woman whispered in Franky's ear.

"I will, Liz. Thanks so much for coming."

Liz gave Franky a kiss on the cheek and went to the desk to turn in her visitor's pass as the brunette turned to go back to her cell. Linda was on duty in that section today, and waived her past the strip search room without a second glance, for which she was grateful.

Franky hoped Bridget would be able to talk to Vera in the morning so that she could get scheduled in for a session.


	19. Chapter 19

It was Monday morning, and Bridget was on her way to work. She'd had a wonderful visit with her niece, and she was proud to see that she was becoming a warm and caring person. The first item on her list this morning was to talk to Vera. She needed to know why she wasn't being allowed to schedule any sessions with Franky. She felt like Vera had been avoiding her this past week. She thought maybe it was just due to the fact that the whole situation was a bit awkward, but she had a bad feeling there was more to it.

********

As Franky sat eating breakfast in the cafeteria, she thought that maybe she would ask Linda if she could schedule a visit with Bridget for her today. She had remembered Bridget saying once that Linda sometimes took bribes from the inmates in exchange for favors. Mostly, they only ever wanted some dirt on a fellow inmate or officer, or access to a more private area of the prison for a few minutes. The brunette figured she had more than enough cash on her to make something happen if simply asking didn't work. She saw Linda sitting in the monitor room, reading the paper, so she quickly finished her breakfast and went to talk to her.

She leaned on the door frame. "Hey, Linda." The officer looked up from her paper. "Do you think you could schedule me in for an appointment with Bridget today?"

She sighed, set down her paper, and turned to the computer. She clicked on Bridget’s schedule for the day. “She’s got a free slot in a half hour and one at two this afternoon.”

“I’ll take the one this morning.” Franky waited while Linda typed her name into the computer.

“It’s not working,” she said, trying again. “Nope, still nothing. You’re going to have to go talk to the Governor.”

“Can you just take me up to Bridget’s office?” Franky saw Linda hesitate. “I’ll make it worth your while.” The brunette pulled the money she had stashed in her pocket this morning out just far enough for the officer to see it.

“Yeah, alright. I’ll come get you in a few minutes.” She sat back and resumed reading her paper.

********

Bridget was just settling in for her day when there was a knock on the door. “Come in,” she called out. The door opened, and Vera stepped inside. “Ah, Vera, just the person I wanted to see.” The blonde smiled warmly.

“Did you just try to book a session with Franky?”

The question caught Bridget off guard. “No, actually I-“

“Someone tried to schedule her in just now!” Vera wasn’t normally someone who got upset, especially not with Bridget, so the blonde knew for sure now that something was going on.

Bridget tried to be calm. She stood up, and walked to the centre of the room to meet her friend. “Vera, I assure you, it wasn’t me. In fact, I was just on my way to talk to you about it. I tried to schedule her last week, and the system wouldn’t let me. Then she said that you told her on Friday that I had no free slots when I actually had two.”

“You went to see her? Where? In her unit?”

“Vera, I see inmates outside of the office all the time. Nothing looked wrong or out of place, I promise.” Bridget couldn’t believe that her friend would think that she would take the chance of exposing hers and Franky’s relationship.

“I’m not concerned about that. I’m concerned for your safety.” Vera ran a hand through her hair that was loosely tied back.

“I went to see Franky. Not a random inmate. Franky.”

“That’s exactly what concerns me!” Vera threw her arms to the side and let them fall.

Bridget took a moment to process what the governor had just said. “What?! You think Franky is dangerous?”

“Did you read her file?” She gestured towards Bridget’s filing cabinet where Franky’s file would be stored.

“No, actually, I didn’t. I felt it would be a breach of trust and would give me an unfair advantage over her in our relationship. I don’t want to know anything she’s not ready to tell me herself.” Bridget crossed her arms to signal that this was something in which she strongly believed.

Franky and Linda were approaching in the corridor, and Franky signalled the blonde officer to slow down a bit when she heard Vera and Bridget having what sounded like a heated discussion. The brunette had a feeling it had something to do with her, and she wanted to know what was going on.

“Well, you should, because I did. She’s got quite a long record, you know. It goes all the way back to when she was a teenager. Did she tell you that?” Vera looked at her friend, waiting for an answer.

“She’s…told me some things, yes.” Bridget knew her girlfriend had some run ins with the law in her past, but not to the extent it seemed like Vera was talking about.

“Some things? There’s a lot there, Bridget. Drug possession, drug trafficking, petty theft, assault. More than once for most of those. Did she tell you about the TV show?”

The blonde’s mind was racing, “Uh, yeah she did. She said the host was a jerk and it got cancelled.”

“Did she tell you she was the reason it got cancelled?” Vera took Bridget’s silence as a ‘no’. “The man criticized her food, so she beat him unconscious. Then, she somehow got away with a fine and community service. She’s lucky she wasn’t in prison years ago. So that’s why I was concerned, and yes, I cancelled the session you tried to schedule, and the one today. You need to seriously think about this. She’s not the kind of person you should be around, or that Emily should be around. You deserve better.”

Having heard Vera’s rant, Franky picked up her pace, and flung open the office door. She came to a stop a couple feet in front of Vera. Even though the governor was in heels, Franky still towered over her. “You think I’m not good enough? That I’m not a good person? You need to sit the fuck down, and listen to me.” She pointed to one of the green chairs on the right side of the office.

“Franky-“ Bridget reached out for her, but the brunette pulled her arm away.

“No, Gidge, she needs to hear this. She thinks all I am is what’s written in that file, well that doesn’t say shit about me, or how my life was. So now she’s going to hear it from me.”

Linda had appeared in the doorway, hand on her radio ready to call for backup. Vera looked to Franky, then Bridget. “We’ll be fine, Linda. Just close the door and go.”

Vera sat down in the chair Franky had pointed to, and when the brunette looked to Bridget, she knew she wanted her to take a seat in the other chair. Franky was ready to tell her story, and even though this wasn’t how Bridget would have hoped to hear it, she was happy to listen. She could tell the brunette was worked up and agitated, but she trusted that Franky had herself under control.

She began, “First of all, you need to know, that what that file doesn’t say, is that the reason I left home in the first place was because my mother was an abusive, alcoholic bitch. My Dad couldn’t handle it, and he left me with her when I was a young kid. She used to beat me and burn me with her cigarettes, and there was no one there to stop her. As soon as I was old enough, I ran away. They caught me and tried to put me in foster homes, but they were all shit. None of those people really cared about me, they just wanted the cheque that came with me. So, I ran away from those places, too. Living on the streets isn’t easy. The way I saw it, I had one of two options. I could either sell drugs, or sell myself. There was no fucking way I was letting anyone touch me, so yeah, I became a dealer. I was pretty fucking good at it too, that’s why none of those charges really stuck. I’m not proud of it, but I did what I had to do to survive. The theft charges were me trying to just get the basic things I needed. Mostly I stole food, sometimes clothes or some medicine from the pharmacy. I never took anything I didn’t need.” Franky had been pacing back and forth across the office the whole time she talked. “Some of the guys I’d sell to, they were pretty important, and had lots of money. They felt entitled to whatever they wanted, you know? A couple times, I’d meet one of those types of guys to make a sale, and they’d think that I was part of the deal. They were used to getting whatever they wanted, and they didn’t like some kid telling them they couldn’t have it. So yeah, those assault charges, I beat up a couple guys to save myself from being raped, and people walking by, they probably thought I was trying to rob him or something, and they called the cops on me. Who do you think they believed when they showed up, a homeless kid with drugs, or a well-dressed rich guy? One of the times I got arrested, I ended up getting community service. They made me work in the soup kitchen. That’s where I met Liz. She took me under her wing, saw that I had a talent for cooking, and she taught me everything she knew about it. She took me in. That was the first time I ever remember living in a house where I wasn’t afraid that someone was going to come to my room in the middle of the night and hurt me. I did pretty well for a couple years after that. I got a job at a diner, put myself through culinary school, got a place of my own, and then I got selected for the cooking show. That chef though, Mike, he was such a dick. He shat on me just like my mother used to, just like all those people who looked down on me when I was living on the street. I had anger issues, I always had, and one day, I just snapped. So yeah, that one, I admit is as bad as it looks. Liz convinced me to go to therapy after that. She was always there for me since that first day we met. I’m different now. I still get mad, but I can control it. I haven’t hit anyone since that day on set.” She looked at Vera now. “I heard what you said, that you think that Bridget and Em aren’t safe with me, you’re wrong. I would never hurt them. This whole mess started because I was protecting them. Did Gidge tell you that the reason I was mad at Kim that night was because she said she came to take Em from us as a way to punish me?” Vera glanced over at Bridget. Cleary her friend hadn’t told her that detail, and Franky picked up on that fact. “Yeah. So you still think I’m not good enough?”

“I-“ Vera opened her mouth and closed it again. While Franky had been talking, tears had gathered in her eyes, and now that she was put on the spot, they ran freely down her cheeks. “I-, I can’t. I’m sorry, I need to go.” She wiped the tears off her face one last time, and quickly headed out the door, and down the hall.

Bridget rose and closed the door, leaving just her and Franky in the office. “Franky.” The blonde wasn’t sure if her girlfriend would want to be comforted at this point, or if she needed some time to cool down, so she decided to proceed cautiously for now. “I didn’t know all of that.”

Franky looked up and met her eyes. “I should have told you sooner, Gidge. I’m sorry you had to find out this way. I just couldn’t stand her thinking that a list of charges told her everything about who I was and I didn’t want you to think that either.”

“I never read your file.”

“But you had it that day you came to my cell.” Franky had seen her file in the stack Bridget had brought with her and assumed she’d had to read it as part of her job.

“I never opened it. I wanted you to tell me whatever it said in there when you were ready. I know those files never tell someone’s whole story. To be honest, it wouldn’t have mattered what it said anyway, I know who you are, and who you were doesn’t change anything.”

Franky wiped her eyes. “I love you, Gidge. You’re the only person I’ve ever said that to.”

Bridget opened her arms and Franky stepped into them without hesitation. “I love you too, baby.”

She wasn’t sure how long she stood there holding the brunette tightly, with Franky’s face buried in the crook of her neck. She held her until she couldn’t feel her sobbing anymore, and until she felt her relax, leaning a bit more of her weight onto the blonde’s body. Bridget ran one hand up and down her back. She knew Franky loved this, and it often helped her fall asleep if she was having a restless night. She felt Franky sigh and the brunette lifted her head. She locked onto her green eyes and Franky leaned in for a slow, gentle kiss.

“You doing okay, baby?” Bridget asked when they split apart. Franky nodded. “You can stay for a little bit longer if you want, until my next appointment, then why don’t you take a nap in your cell? I have a free slot at two I’ll leave open. I’ll get Will to bring you up again then, okay?”

“Thanks, Gidge. Can we just sit though? I think I’ve done my talking for today.” She gave a weak laugh.

“Yeah, of course, baby.” Bridget turned to go back to the green chairs, but Franky stayed where she was and held on to the blonde’s hand, making her stop.

The brunette tilted her head toward the wall, indicating for Bridget to follow her. She put her back against the wall and slid down until she was sitting on the floor and the blonde joined her. “I know it’s not the most comfortable but I just want to be closer to you than those chairs allow.”

“It’s okay.” Bridget sat down beside the brunette, and pulled her close so that the younger woman could rest her head on her chest.

“You really should invest in a couch for here, Gidge.”

Bridget laughed. “That’s such a cliché, baby.”

They sat like that until it was time for Franky to go back to her cell. Bridget promised to send Will for her at two, and to see if she could find Vera in the meantime.

********

Lunch time came and Bridget headed for the lounge. She was hoping to catch Vera there but when she walked in, her friend was nowhere to be found. The blonde walked over to the fridge, opened the door, and took out her lunch bag. She saw that Vera’s was still sitting there, untouched. She thought that maybe after the events of the morning, the Governor had decided to keep a low profile, and stay in her office. Bridget grabbed both bags and headed off to find Vera.

As she approached the large office, she could see Vera, through the window, sitting at her desk with her head in her hands. She gave a light tap on the door and got no response so she quietly opened it and let herself inside.

“Vera.” Bridget approached her friend slowly and kept her voice calm. She wanted Vera to know that she was there to talk, not to have a confrontation. “I brought your lunch. I thought maybe we could eat together.” She sat both bags down on the desk.

“Why?” Vera didn’t look up.

“I think we should talk.” Bridget sat down and started to unpack her food.

“I mean why are you even still speaking to me?” She looked up and Bridget could tell she had been crying for quite some time. “I made such an ass of myself this morning.”

“You made a mistake, Vera. We’ll get through it.”

“Is she okay?” The governor reluctantly opened the container that Bridget had sat in front of her and pushed the food around with her fork.

“She was upset, but she settled down quickly. I think by the time she left, she was feeling more drained than anything.” Bridget debated whether or not to tell her friend the next part, but she figured there was no way she would argue with her at this point. “I told her to come back to see me at two this afternoon. I don’t want her to sit down there all day and think.”

Vera nodded her head then cleared her throat, “I, uh, won’t be keeping you two apart anymore. You can schedule her in as much as you like. Please do still be careful though.”

“I appreciate that, really.”

“She was always nice to me,” Vera smiled, remembering the talks she’d had with the brunette. “She saw me sitting alone outside at your party, and she came and sat with me. Then at the bar when she made me dance with her, I really didn’t want to, but she’s good at putting people at ease.”

“Mmm, I remember that night,” the blonde said, taking a bite of her sandwich. “I meant to ask one of you what happened out there. You looked like you’d been crying when you came back.”

“She just said some really nice things to me,” Vera was going to leave it at that but Bridget sat silently waiting for her to say more so she felt like she should continue. “She offered to ask you to set me up with a guy. Then she offered to set me up with Allie. I declined both offers. I said I didn’t feel like I fit with anyone, that I wasn’t anyone’s type. She listed off all these nice things about me and said to stop being so hard on myself. That’s all.”

“Yeah, sounds like Franky.” Bridget smiled at her friend.

“Should I go talk to her? I feel like I owe her a huge apology.”

“Maybe just give her a day or two. I think she might not be open to talking about it anymore today.” Even though she was planning on seeing Franky again that afternoon, she wasn’t going to bring up what had happened earlier. The session this afternoon was just for them to finally spend some time together where they didn’t have to have their guard up so much.

Vera nodded. “Do you think she’ll forgive me?”

“Yeah, just give her time.”

They finished their lunch and Bridget took their bags back to the lounge

********

Two o’clock had come, and Bridget was waiting for Will to arrive with Franky. It wasn’t long after when he knocked on the door. “Come in,” she called out.

Will opened the door for Franky. When she stepped in, Bridget noticed that she still looked rather tired. “Thanks, Will.” He nodded and left, closing the door behind him.

Franky was immediately in Bridget’s arms. “How are you doing, baby?” The blonde could feel her girlfriend tighten her arms around her at the question.

“I’m alright. I went to sleep not long after I left here this morning. Will had to wake me up just now.”

“You missed lunch?” Bridget felt Franky nod against her shoulder. “Okay, why don’t you sit down? I’ve got some food here.”

Franky let the blonde go and Bridget went to her desk and took out a protein bar and a biscuit. When she turned back around, the green chairs were both empty. She thought for a moment that maybe Franky had decided to leave, but she hadn’t heard the door open. She looked down and to the right, and saw her sitting on the floor where they had sat earlier that morning. She walked over and locked the door so no one would barge in and hit them with it, then sat down beside her, handing her the snacks.

“Thanks, Gidge,” Franky opened the bar and took a bite.

Bridget put her arm around her, and they sat in silence for a couple of minutes until the brunette spoke. “Is Vera okay?”

“Yeah, she will be.”

“I heard what she said when I was in the hallway about me not being good enough for you. It made me scared and angry at the same time. It reminded me how every time I got pulled into the station and had to talk to a cop or a social worker, how I always felt like they looked down on me. Like they just read the paper in front of them and never really saw me. Then I got scared because I thought maybe you would think you should stay away from me after you knew all that stuff. I love you, Gidge. I can’t lose you.” She wiped her cheek with the sleeve of her shirt.

“Hey,” Bridget turned her head and waited until Franky looked at her before she continued. “I meant what I said earlier. I don’t care who you were before. I know who you are now, and that’s all that matters to me. You’re not going to lose me.” She put her hand on Franky’s cheek and held it there while she kissed her long and slow.

The brunette sighed. “I miss you so much. I just want to come home.”

“I miss you too, baby. I’ve been sleeping in your shirt.” Bridget didn’t know why, but she was a little embarrassed to admit the second part.

“I assumed that was why you wanted it,” she smiled, sensing the blonde’s hesitance to admit it. “It’s okay, Gidge.” It was Franky’s turn to put her arm around her girlfriend, and let her lean into her. “Enough about me for today, I want to know how you’ve been doing.”

Bridget took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Honestly, I’ve had some not so great moments. I drank a whole bottle of wine the other night, and when I looked around the house, everything reminded me of you.” Franky pulled her a bit closer. “So I went to bed, and all I could think about was how if you were there, you would have made me feel better. I never told you before, but some of my favourite times with you were when we just laid in bed and talked, and you’d tell me about yourself.” The brunette reached over and took one of Bridget’s hands in her own, intertwining their fingers. “And that,” Bridget nodded towards their hands, trying not to cry, “You’re the only one who’s ever done that while we slept, and I miss it.”

Franky brought their hands to her lips and kissed the back of Bridget’s, “I’ll be there to do it again soon, babe.”

The blonde smiled, “Em came back on the weekend too. She stayed with me the night after my not so great night. She asked about you. I told her you were where I worked. I think she doesn’t really understand everything, but she knows that you might not be around for a little while.”

“Fuck, Gidge, I was hoping this would all be over before she came back. I don’t want her to see me in here.” Franky remembered the night that Kim showed up, one thought that went through her head immediately was how glad she was that Emily wasn’t there to see her get angry. She saw it too much herself when she was growing up and she knew how it could taint a child’s view of someone. She didn’t want Emily to have to deal with that.

“She didn’t ask, and if she does, I’ll say no. I know how hard it is when the women have their kids visit them. I won’t do that to you or her.” Franky nodded, relieved that she and Bridget were on the same page with that. “I do have something for you though, and if you don’t want to take it with you, I’ll understand.” Bridget pulled the burner phone from the pocket of her jacket. “It’s completely anonymous, and if you clear the call history after each time, then even if someone finds it, they won’t be able to trace it back to you or me.” Franky took the phone without hesitation, and put it in her pocket. “I can’t not talk to you at night anymore. I know it’s not as good as the real thing, but I need to know that you’re okay, and that you’re safe.”

Franky gave her a small kiss, “It’s perfect, Gidge.” The brunette guided Bridget’s head onto her shoulder and held her for the rest of their time that afternoon. When she had to leave, she promised she’d call her that night and the blonde told her that Vera had given the okay for daily sessions. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do for now.


	20. Chapter 20

Bedtime was now something that Bridget didn’t dread quite so much. Almost every night since she had taken the phone to Franky, they had talked for a few minutes while they both laid in bed, unwinding from their days. The brunette didn’t tell stories of her past though, she saved those now usually for their sessions, saying that she wanted to tell them to Bridget in person, not over the phone.

Bridget had just settled in when her phone rang. “Hey, baby.”

Franky could hear her smiling on the other end of the line, “Hey, spunky.”

“How was your day?” No matter what time of day Bridget had last seen her, she always led off with this question.

“Ah, you know. I have the same conversations with the same dickheads every day, and if I’m spared from those, then it means I got to sit in my cell alone. The only good thing about this place is when I get to see you.” Franky signed.

“I know. Every time you leave my office, I wish that you were leaving with me instead.” Bridget needed to find something happy to turn this conversation around. “I tried one of your recipes tonight for supper.”

“Ooo, did you? Gidge is getting bold,” Franky chuckled. “Which one was it?”

“The lasagna you made for us that first night. I think I was after the memory of it more than the food itself.” Franky had made that dish for them a couple times since that night. Every time Bridget took that first bite, she was transported back to when she first stood in the classroom doorway, and watched her niece and Franky talking and joking with each other.

“That’s the amazing thing about food, huh? Sometimes the experience around it is better than the food itself. How did it turn out?”

“Well, considering I called you one night to ask how to put cheese on a sandwich, I think it turned out okay.” Bridget giggled. It definitely hadn’t turned out as good as the ones Franky had made but it was edible.

“We both know you didn’t really call to ask about a sandwich that night.” She heard a small laugh from the blonde on the other end of the phone. “I’m willing to bet you were in bed, just like you are now, and you just wanted to talk to me again.”

Bridget scoffed, “Is that what you think?”

“Mmm, it is. I would even go so far as to say that maybe it was a booty call, and you lost your nerve.”

The blonde laughed, “Franky! I would never.”

“But you did.” Franky let that hang in the air for a moment. She could hear the blonde’s breathing pick up. “Just a couple nights later.”

“Mmmm, yeah, I might have done it then.” Bridget had vivid memories of pulling Franky through the hall to her bedroom, Franky picking her up and putting her on the bed, and the way the brunette looked at her when she told her she intended to use the whole night to fuck her. She turned onto her back, and let one hand brush over her breast, feeling the hardened peak of her nipple under the fabric.

Franky laid there for a minute just listening. “I got the same silences that night as I am now. Tell me what you’re doing.”

“Franky.” It was meant to be a protest, but it died on her lips as a whisper.

“You’re thinking about that night, aren’t you?” The brunette smirked.

“Yes.”

“You know what I remember about that night? About you? You knew what you wanted, and you weren’t afraid to tell me. So tell me what you want me to do.” The brunette moved her hand under her t-shirt and ran her fingernails over her stomach.

“I want you to fuck me.” Bridget let her fingers slip under the top edge of the fabric of her underwear.

“Tell me how you want it, babe.” Franky reached down and guided her hand into her own shorts, feeling the wetness there meet the tips of her fingers. “Fast and hard, or slow and soft?”

“Slow,” the blonde quickly put Franky on speakerphone and laid it beside her on the pillow. She reached her now free hand up under her shirt to squeeze her breast. “I want it slow.” She let her hand dip lower, gliding over her slick folds, and brushing over her clit. “Fuck. I want to make you feel good too, baby.”

“If you want it slow, I’d lay you down on the bed and kiss all the way down your neck.” The blonde let her fingers trail lightly where she imagined her girlfriend’s lips would be. “Then I’d suck on each of your nipples while I fucked you like I did that day in your office.” She heard a moan come from Bridget through the phone. “I’d let my fingers slide inside you. I’ve always loved how you feel. Then, I’d let my palm rub against your clit in between each thrust.”

Bridget pinched her nipple with one hand while she buried the fingers of the other one inside her. She remembered exactly how Franky felt inside of her that day. She could hear her now, breathing hard. “Tell me what you want, baby.”

“Mmmm, the night of your birthday. So fucking hot.” She pushed in hard with her fingers to reach that certain spot.

“You liked it when I took control and fucked you.”

“Yeah, babe. I never let anyone else do that.” Franky hadn’t meant for that last part to slip out, but it was too late now.

Bridget hadn’t realized at the time that it had been a new experience for the brunette and it turned her on more now to know that she was the first who got to share that with her. “I’d fuck you slow, and hard, and you’d beg me to make you come.”

“Fuck, Gidge.” Franky could feel the first familiar sensations of her orgasm building. “I’d want to taste you. I love all the sounds you make when I do that.”

“Shit, Franky.” Bridget felt her muscles flutter around her fingers. “You’re really fucking good at that. It always feels so good.”

“I’m really close.”

“It felt really good that night, didn’t it? I got to fuck you, and still be able to touch you and kiss you..” She heard the brunette’s breathing pick up, and she sped up the pace of her own hand. She knew it wouldn’t take her much longer as she thought of Franky touching herself, close to her own release.

“Gidge, I’m gonna come.”

“Me too, baby.”

The brunette drew in a breath and held it while her muscles tensed and her body shook. She heard the blonde moaning and was happy that Bridget didn’t have to try to be quiet. Hearing the other woman’s reactions was one of her favourite parts. As she shakily let out the breath she was holding she heard one final “oh, fuck” from the blonde before release came over her as well.

They both laid there in the quiet for a moment, relishing the feel of their muscles tingling.

“Definite bonus points for thinking of this phone thing, Gidge.” Franky was the first to break the silence.

“I don’t think it’s an overly original idea but I’ll take the credit, sure.” The blonde gave a small laugh.

“How are you feeling, babe?” Franky knew that her girlfriend liked to be held after sex and she felt bad that she wasn’t there to do that for her this time.

“I’m good, baby. I’m good. Just a little sleepy now.” Bridget’s voice was showing signs now of how tired she was, and had been, ever since this all started.

“I’ll let you sleep, okay? And I’ll see you in the afternoon for our session.” Franky had made sure to ask to be scheduled for one every day since Vera had had her change of heart towards her. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Wait. Gidge, you still there?” The brunette remembered something she wanted to ask for. “Can you bring me a shirt?”

“You need more clothes? Yeah, I can get Will or someone to deliver them.”

“No, I mean one of yours. Like how you took mine.” At first Franky had told herself that she was fine. That the daily sessions were enough, but as time went on, she hated this place even more and anything that reminded her of her life on the outside seemed to make it a bit more bearable.

“Yeah, sure, baby. I’ll have it for you tomorrow.” The blonde decided she’d take her the one she was wearing that night.

“Thanks, Gidge. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, baby.” She waited until the line went dead. She never wanted to be the first one to hang up. She put her phone on the bedside table and quickly drifted off.

********

It was just after lunch when Bridget’s phone rang, “Hello, Bridget Westfall.”

“Auntie Bridge?” Bridget heard a small voice on the end of the line.

“Hey, love, how are you?” The blonde always enjoyed calls from her niece and they had become more frequent since her and her dad had moved here.

“Good. Dad picked me up from school early, and we’re having ice cream!” Bridget could tell from the background noise that it sounded like they were somewhere busy.

“Ooo, ice cream sounds delicious. What kind did you get?”

“Chocolate chip cookie dough. Can I come stay with you this weekend?” This would be only the second weekend that Emily was back in town and the second time that she’d asked to stay with Bridget. She hoped it was just due to the fact that she’d had a good time staying with her while Tim was away, but she made a note to ask her a few questions to see if everything was okay at home.

“Of course, darling, as long as it’s okay with Dad. Can I talk to him for a minute?” She heard Emily tell Tim that Bridget wanted to talk to him.

“Hey, Bridge.” Tim sounded tired.

“Hey, so Em is asking to stay over again this weekend. You’re okay with that?”

“Yeah, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all. I love having her around. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t taking away from your time with her. You’ve only been back a few weeks after being gone for months.” Bridget thought that Tim and Emily always had a good relationship, but maybe with Sarah gone he was finding it harder to bond with her.

“I spend all week with her. Besides, I don’t think the old man is cool enough anymore. All she talks about is you, and asks when Franky is coming back.” Bridget could definitely hear the weariness in his voice now.

“Okay, I’ll be home by six so you can drop her off anytime after that.” Bridget hesitated, “Tim? Are you doing okay?”

“Yeah, Bridge, all good. I’ll catch you later, okay?” He hung up the phone before Bridget could say goodbye.

********

At three o’clock Franky arrived, escorted by Linda, although her and Will had basically stopped “escorting” Franky and more or less just walked by the door with her now. The brunette opened the door and came in as Linda gave them a nod and continued on. Franky shut and locked the door behind her and plugged the phone into the charger that she kept in the office, while Bridget got up and closed the blinds. It had only been a week, but they had settled into their routine already.

She wrapped her arms around the tall brunette and Franky picked her up and sat her on her desk. Bridget moved her legs apart so that the younger woman could stand closer to her, and put a hand on the back of her head to pull her down for a long kiss.

“I brought you something,” Franky grinned against Bridget’s lips, and gave her bottom lip a small bite as she pulled away.

Bridget watched carefully as the brunette unbuttoned her shirt. Franky discarded it on the chair behind her, and reached down to the hem of the t-shirt she was wearing.

“Franky.” The blonde warned her.

“Relax, Gidge. I’m not getting naked,” Franky leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. She removed her t-shirt in one quick motion, and handed it to Bridget. “I figured you could use a new one by now.”

“Thanks,” Bridget took the shirt, and laid it beside her on the desk.

She let her eyes wander down the brunette’s body. She still had her bra on, but it was the most naked she’d seen her since she was arrested. She reached out and ran her fingers down the sides of Franky’s ribcage; feeling the muscles tense, and let them finally come to rest on her hips. The blonde thought she must have been going to the exercise yard regularly since she’d been in here.

Franky smirked as Bridget’s eyes came back up to meet hers. “Like what you see?” The blonde dropped her hands, smiled, and mumbled a slightly embarrassed ‘sorry’. “Nah, Gidge, it’s all good.” She placed Bridget’s hands back on her hips and leaned in, capturing her lips.

Franky could feel the other woman’s hands move around to her back, fingers spreading wide so she could touch as much skin as possible. The brunette moved her lips along Bridget’s jaw, and she felt a hand come up to tangle in her hair, as she found the spot just below the blonde’s ear. She heard her sigh as she left small kisses there. Franky went to move down Bridget’s neck when the hand in her hair tightened, and a barely audible ’stay there’ left the blonde’s lips. She lingered there for another minute then whispered ‘I love you’, before pulling back and resting her forehead against her girlfriend’s.

“I love you too, baby.” Bridget gave her a small kiss. “And I have something for you.” She patted Franky’s side, signalling for her to step aside so she could get off the desk. She reached into the clear, prison-issue bag they were allowed to bring in and took out a rolled up t-shirt. “As requested.” She handed it to Franky and the brunette immediately put it on. “It’s the one I wore last night.”

“Kinky, Gidge. I like it.” Franky laughed and grabbed her button up shirt from the chair and put that on as well. “So you’re out of here soon for the weekend?”

“Yeah.” Bridget still hated the weekends. “Em called me this afternoon. She asked if she could come over again.”

“Aw, hey, tell her I said hi, yeah? She’s been doing okay since she’s been back?”

“I think so, yeah.”

Franky sensed that Bridget’s mind was working on something. “She’s gone through a lot in the past year. If anything seems off, I’m sure it’ll be fine once they really get settled in here.” Bridget nodded. “Do you think I could talk to her for a minute one of the nights she’s at your place?”

“I think she’d really like that, yeah.” Bridget glanced up at the clock and was sad to see that their time was almost over.

Franky grabbed the phone and put it in her pocket. She walked over to the blonde and cradled her face in both hands. “I’ll see you on Monday, okay?” Bridget nodded. “I love you.” They shared one last kiss before there was a knock on the door, signalling that it was time for Franky to go.

The brunette unlocked and opened the door and was met by Linda who started walking back to H-block as soon as Franky exited the office.

********

Bridget arrived home just before six. She had stopped and picked up a pizza on the way home, thinking she didn’t feel like cooking anything that evening. She dropped her bag onto the couch, and sat the pizza on the kitchen island. She went to the bedroom to change out of her work clothes, opting for one of Franky’s old t-shirts and a pair of sweatpants, and came back to the kitchen setting out a stack of plates for her, Emily, and Tim beside the pizza box.

“Auntie Bridge!” Emily ran around the corner and wrapped her arms around Bridget’s waist.

“Oof! Hey, love.” She reached down and placed her hand on the back of the girl’s shoulder, returning her hug. She looked toward the hallway expecting to see Tim not far behind his daughter but he was nowhere to be seen. “Is your Dad coming in?”

“Yeah, he has my bag.”

“Hey, Bridge!” Tim called from the entryway. He walked to the hall and dropped Emily’s bag under the large mirror hanging on the wall. “Here you go. Have a good weekend, okay? I’ll see you guys on Sunday.” He turned to leave.

“Tim! Hey, Tim!” Bridget pulled herself away from Emily and followed her brother back towards the door. “Hey, wait!” She jogged a couple steps to get close enough to grab his arm and make him stop. She glanced back to make sure her niece hadn’t followed her. “Tim, where are you rushing off to? I thought we could all have supper together. I got pizza.”

“I can’t, Bridge, I’m not really feeling so well. Thanks though.” He went to leave again, but Bridget didn’t let go of his arm.

“Call me if you need anything, okay?” She made him look her in the eye before she let go.

“I will. Thanks again.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek, and headed out the door.

When she returned to the kitchen, Emily was sitting on the couch. She put a slice of pizza each on two plates and put the third one back in the cabinet.

“Dad didn’t stay, did he?” The little girl asked when she saw Bridget put away the third plate.

“No, love. He said he wasn’t feeling well.” Bridget sat down beside Emily, putting her feet up on the coffee table, and handed her one of the plates.

“Okay.” The girl took a bite of her pizza.

“So, we’ve got all weekend, what are we going to do?” Emily shrugged in response. “Well, I looked online after you called me today, and I was thinking we could go to the Sea Life Aquarium tomorrow. How does that sound?”

Emily’s face lit up at the mention of the aquarium. “They have penguins there like the toy one you have in your bedroom. They have sharks too!”

Bridget laughed, “Yeah, they do. So we’ll go there tomorrow. What do you want to do tonight though?”

“Can we watch a movie?”

“Sure, love. Let’s finish eating then we’ll get you washed up and in your pyjamas, then we can settle in and watch something.” Bridget had learned her lesson one of the first times she had looked after Emily: it was much easier to get her to change her clothes early than to try and make her do it when she was half asleep and uncooperative. She noticed that the girl had finished her slice of pizza already. “Do you want another piece?” Emily nodded and Bridget got them each another slice.

When they finished, Bridget carried Emily’s bag down to the guest room for her when she sent her to the bathroom to wash up, and noticed that she had brought the teddy bear that Franky had won for her at the park. She smiled to herself, remembering that day.

Bridget went back to the kitchen to put away the leftovers while Emily got changed. She sat out a wine glass for herself and a small glass for Emily. She was just pouring herself some red wine when her niece walked back into the kitchen.

“What are you having? Orange juice or milk?” Bridget put the cork back in the bottle and set it on the counter.

“Are you sad?” Emily looked at the glass of wine then at Bridget.

“I still miss Franky, but no I’m not sad right now.” Bridget found that getting to see her girlfriend almost daily was making things a little easier. Spending weekends with Emily was good for her as well. “Why do you ask?”

“Dad says people drink that when they’re sad.” She looked at the glass of wine again.

Bridget thought carefully before she answered. “That can be true for some people, but it’s not always the case.” Emily was still looking at her. She sensed that this was an issue for the young girl. “You know what, I changed my mind.” She turned and dumped the wine down the sink, and took another glass out of the cupboard for herself. “I’ll have what you’re having. Which do you want?”

Her mood seemed to lighten. “Milk.”

“Alright, two milk it is.” The blonde said, taking the carton from the fridge. “Would you like to go pick out a movie, and I’ll bring these over?”

When Bridget arrived with their drinks, Emily had picked out something to watch, and had gotten a blanket off the back of the couch for them. Bridget sat down beside her, and spread the blanket out over them. Emily immediately curled into her aunt’s side, and the older woman put her arm around her.

About halfway through the movie, Bridget’s phone rang. It would have been just after final count at Wentworth. She figured Franky was calling earlier than usual because she was hoping to catch Emily still awake.

“Hello?”

“Hey, babe.” It was always a relief and comfort to hear Franky’s voice. “How is everything?”

“It’s good, yeah really good. Everything’s good with you?” Bridget always held her breath when she asked this. She knew there were probably things that happened in there that Franky kept from her because she didn’t want her to worry, but she hoped if anything major was wrong, that she would tell her.

“Yeah, all good. I’m just calling early, hoping to catch you all still awake.”

“We’re all here. I didn’t say anything about this.” Bridget hadn’t mentioned it, in case something happened that the brunette wasn’t able to call that night. She didn’t want Emily to be disappointed. “I’ll put you on speaker so you’ll have both of us.” She pushed the speakerphone button and held the phone out between her and Emily. “Okay, We’re ready.”

“Hey, Em.”

“Franky!” Emily practically squealed the name.

“Yeah, it’s me, bub. I’ve missed you.” Bridget could hear the smile in the brunette’s voice when she talked to the young girl.

“When are you coming home?” Emily asked. It was an innocent question, but the blonde knew it would get to Franky a bit.

“I don’t know, Em. I really really want to be there with you and Auntie Bridge but I can’t leave here until they tell me I’m allowed to. When I do get home though, we’re going to spend loads of time together, okay? I promise.”

“I want to make cookies again.”

Franky was pleased to hear that she still had an interest in cooking. “Yeah, we can do that for sure. What are you two doing tonight? I hope you’re not having too much fun without me.” The brunette laughed at her own joke.

“We’re watching a movie and tomorrow we’re going to see the penguins.” The girl was excited all over again about the trip with her aunt tomorrow.

“The penguins?” Franky wasn’t sure what the girl was talking about.

“We’re going to the aquarium.” Bridget chimed in.

“Ohhhh, hey take lots of pictures for me, okay guys?”

“Okay!” Bridget and Emily both answered at the same time.

“Listen, I’ve got to go now. I’ll try to call again tomorrow, but I can’t promise.” Franky knew she would call, but on the off chance something happened, she didn’t want Emily to be upset.

“Bye, Franky!” Emily cuddled back into her aunt’s side.

Bridget took the phone off speaker and put it back to her ear. “I love you, baby.”

“I love you too, Gidge.”

“I love you, Franky!” Emily shouted so that the brunette would hear her.

Bridget put the phone back on speaker. “I love you too, Em.”

They said their goodbyes and Bridget and Emily settled in to finish the movie.

Not long after Franky called, Emily had fallen asleep. Bridget gently picked her up and started down the hall toward the spare room. After she got her settled, she went to her own room, and changed into the shirt that Franky had given her earlier that day. She breathed in deeply and smelled the scent of the brunette’s soap lingering on the t-shirt. She hoped that the one she had given Franky would bring her some comfort as well.


	21. Chapter 21

Franky walked into her unit, returning from the exercise yard, and saw officers tossing everyone’s belongings out of their cells.

“Doyle! Stand by your door!” Will shouted at her. It appeared that he, and another officer that she didn’t recognize, were in charge of searching her unit.

They hadn’t gotten to her cell yet, and she prayed it would be Will who searched hers. She had hidden the phone but probably not well enough to not be found by someone who was really looking.

The unknown officer was about to start on her cell when Will stopped him. “I’ve got this one.” The officer nodded and moved on.

Franky stood there and watched as most of her things were thrown out into the unit’s common room. She could feel her heart beating in her ears. She wasn’t sure what the punishment would be for being caught with the phone but she figured she’d at least spend some time in the slot. That meant no sessions with Bridget, and probably no more phone calls for the rest of her stay. If she got caught, there was no way Bridget would risk giving her another one. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't hidden it very well. It was only under her mattress, which was of course an obvious hiding place. She glanced in and saw Will turning his attention to her bed. He ripped off the blankets, throwing them onto the floor in the middle of the cell. As he reached down to pick up the edge of the mattress, she closed her eyes, and leaned her head back against the wall. 

“All clear.” Will stepped out, gave Franky a small nod and, having completed searching all the cells, left with the other officer.

Franky immediately entered her cell. Her mattress had been placed back down on the bed and she quickly stuck her hand in under it, feeling around. At first she felt nothing, and thought maybe he had confiscated it. If he did, at least he was letting her off without additional punishment. Then her fingers found it. There was no way he wouldn't have seen it when he looked there. She let out a huge sigh, relieved to know at least he was still on her side. 

She started to gather her stuff and put her cell back together when she heard a voice behind her.

"Hey, need a hand?"

Franky glanced back to see Hannah standing in the doorway. "Nah, I'm good," the brunette continued putting her things back in order. She had been trying to keep the young woman at even more of a distance than she had before, since she’d found out that Hannah had watched her in her cell that night.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I got it." Franky walked out of her cell, forcing Hannah to back up into the common area. The brunette gathered her belongings that had been tossed aside and headed back into her cell, closing the door behind her so she wouldn't follow her back inside.

********

That evening at dinner, Franky sat just one table over from Juice and her crew. For some reason it seemed like the older inmate had lost interest in her for the time being. Most of the time, Franky was able to avoid her since she was in a different unit, but the exception to that was meal time. All of H-block ate together regardless of what unit they were in.

She usually didn't pay attention to what they were talking about. Most of the conversations she did overhear were just about which one of the new arrivals the woman was planning on making her next conquest. Tonight however, Franky picked up a few words and realized they were talking about the cell toss.

"Fucking bitch Governor ordered that. Confiscated my books, and the load of cash I had. People are gonna want their money back and I don't fucking have it. What the fuck am I supposed to do then?" she spat out as she ate her food.

It was well known that Juice ran the betting game at Wentworth. Exactly what they were betting on this time around was a mystery to Franky, and honestly, she didn't really care. She was trying her best to take Will's advice to keep her head down. She knew that seeing Bridget every day might look suspicious, but her sessions were usually scheduled when the others were at their work assignments. There were hardly ever any other inmates around when she came and went.

Franky finished her meal and headed back to her cell. She was already tired of her daily routine which, except for her sessions with Bridget, basically consisted of eating her meals and then spending the day in her cell or in the exercise yard.

She laid down on her bed and wondered what Bridget and Emily would be doing now. Their trip to the aquarium was today, and no doubt they had gotten there bright and early. She wished she could be there with them, and remembered how much fun she had had the day they all went to Luna Park. She had been looking forward to talking to the young girl on the phone the day before ever since Bridget had told her she was looking after her for the weekend. Now she thought that might have been a mistake. Hearing how excited she was when she realized it was Franky on the phone, and hearing her say she loved her when they said goodbye, had made her want to be out of this place so much more. She decided that she didn't want to think anymore right now. Normally that meant she went to the exercise yard or the gym, but today she didn't want to chance having to deal with any of the other inmates, and she’d already been there earlier. Anyway, she wasn't in the mood. Instead, she wiped her eyes and turned to face the wall, hoping that sleep would come and take her away for a few hours.

********

Vera walked through the hallways, doing her final round of the night. Technically she didn't have to be out here. There were more than enough officers to cover all the areas, but she liked to get a firsthand view of what was going on in her prison, and ending her day like this was her way of putting her mind at ease that everything would be okay for the night as it was just an hour until the final count.

She turned the corner and headed past the hallway leading down to the H-block showers. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a flash of movement coming at her from the side. She didn't even have time to reach for her radio before a strong arm was around her, and a hand was clamped over her mouth. The inmate removed Vera's radio from her belt, and put it in the pocket of her hoodie. The brunette quickly glanced up at the security cameras and realized that they had been turned. Nothing that was happening in the hallway would be visible to the officer watching the monitors. She knew it usually took some time for the officer to realize that the cameras had been tampered with. While they did sometimes catch inmates in the act by using them, more often they were only useful after the fact if they were investigating an incident. With the cameras effectively out of commission, and the inability to use her radio, she was helpless. This wasn't a high traffic area at this time of day, and it was unlikely that anyone who was willing to help her would wander by.

The inmate guided her towards the showers, and shoved her through the door. She then took up a guard post outside as Vera stumbled, but managed to regain her balance just in time to come face to face with two more masked and hooded inmates. Vera turned to run, but one of the women grabbed her, holding her arms behind her, and brought her back into the middle of the large room.

She was now face to face with the inmate who seemed to be in charge. "You and I are gonna have a little chat. Your cell tosses are ruining my business, and if there's one thing I don't tolerate, it's people who fuck with my business. So now, I'm gonna have a little fun, and you're gonna learn your fucking lesson."

********

Franky woke up and guessed that it was late in the day. It seemed like everyone was back in the unit and that didn't usually happen until after dinner. She looked at the clock and saw she had an hour until final count, after which they'd be locked in for the night.

She grabbed her toiletry bag and her towel, and headed to the showers. She knew they'd be pretty much deserted by now and that's what she preferred. Her shower time was her time to think and unwind, and she didn't like other people being around. She'd never shared a shower with any of her partners, not even Bridget, so she sure as hell didn't want random strangers around her.

She turned down the hall, and when she got to the door, she was met by an inmate with her face covered and her hood up.

"Shower's occupied, so fuck off."

Franky peeked around the inmate blocking her path, trying to see what was going on through the frosted window in the door. She could make out three figures inside; two larger ones dressed in teal that she assumed were inmates and one smaller one who was dressed in darker clothes. Her mind ran through the possibilities. It could be another inmate who just wasn't wearing teal, or it could be an officer. Surely though they wouldn't have the guts to assault an officer, although that would explain why their faces were covered. Usually, when inmates went after another, they wanted the other person to know who was getting their revenge.

She thought of what Will had told her about keeping her head down. Getting involved in other people's business was the exact opposite of that, so she decided her shower could wait until the morning.

"Yeah alright, whatever," she mumbled, and turned to leave.

She was almost back to the end of the hall when she heard whoever it was they had in the shower begging for them to stop. "Please, just let me go. Please. There won't be any repercussions for any of yo-" The voice was cut off by the sound of a hand hitting the woman's face. Franky's step faltered slightly. She knew that voice; it was Vera. She couldn't leave her there. She'd heard Bridget talk before about the methods of revenge some women there used.

She needed a plan. She needed a weapon. She knew how to fight, that was something she'd had to learn to survive on the streets. This was three on one though and they were all bigger than her.

As soon as she was around the corner and out of sight of the inmate guarding the door, she picked up her pace. She scanned the hallways and rooms she could see into, looking for anything she could use. She came to an abandoned cleaning supply cart. No one was in sight so she dropped her shower things and towel, grabbed a mop, and in one swift movement stomped down on it, snapping the head off, and leaving her with just the handle.

Even with a weapon, her only hope of being successful would be if she could separate them as much as possible, and take them down one by one. First, she decided she would lure the one outside the door to the end of the short hallway. She leaned the mop handle against the wall, and stepped out in view of the inmate, who had told her earlier to get lost.

“Hey! I thought I told you to fuck off!”

Franky stood her ground and the inmate started towards her. She stepped back around the corner, picked up the mop handle holding it like a baseball bat, and waited. As soon as the inmate emerged from the hall, she swung with all the force she could and hit them square in the face. The woman dropped to the ground, out cold, and with a bloody, and probably broken nose. She stepped around her, and continued to the showers.

As she approached the door, she could make out Vera being held from behind by one inmate, while another paced back and forth in front of her. Franky could hear the pacing inmate talking, and it sounded like Juice.

“So now, I think it’s only fair that I get a bit of payback for all the trouble you’ve caused me.” The inmate pulled back her fist and punched Vera square in the stomach. The Governor’s knees buckled and hit the concrete floor with a sickening thud.

Vera collapsing gave Franky the opportunity she needed. She shoved open the door, and using the mop handle like a spear, she rammed it into the side of the inmate who was now bent over trying to keep hold of Vera. The inmate grunted and released the Governor’s hands as Franky took another jab. After having realized what had just happened, the third inmate sprung into action, and went for Franky. Vera managed to reach out and wrap her arms around the lunging inmate’s legs, causing her to fall just before she was able to grab onto Franky. The tall brunette brought her boot up hard into the face of the inmate she had doubled over and they collapsed onto the ground.

She turned her attention to the inmate, who was now lying on the floor behind her. “Get out of here, Vera, run!” They were all down momentarily, but Franky knew they wouldn’t stay down forever. Vera struggled to get to her feet, collapsing back to the ground when the combination of her injured ankle and knee wouldn’t support her weight. Franky glanced over and saw the smaller woman still on the floor. “Fuck,” she muttered.

The brunette buried her boot in the third inmate’s stomach twice, and then turned her attention to Vera. “Come on, we gotta get out of here!” She bent down, putting the Governor’s arm around her shoulders, and helping her to her feet. “Come on.”

After a few steps, Franky could hear at least one of the inmates begin to stir behind her. They weren’t able to move fast enough with her trying to help Vera walk. “Wait, stop,” Vera looked at the brunette with a questioning look. “I’m going to carry you. It’ll be faster.” Franky didn’t wait for an answer. She bent down, scooped up the woman in her arms, and headed out the door.

By the time she got to the end of the hall, she knew there was definitely one of Vera’s attackers coming behind them. She looked for somewhere to hide, or somewhere where they would be safe. She saw the airlock partway down the hall to her left, and took off. It wasn’t ideal, but the doors needed a swipe card to be opened so if she could get them through it, and get it closed fast enough, at least they would be separated from whoever was behind them.

As she approached the door, she glanced down and saw Vera’s swipe card hanging from her belt. Thank fuck for that, she thought. If the card hadn’t been there, she’d have run them straight into a dead end. When she got to the reader, she turned slightly so that it would pick up Vera’s card, and heard the beep signalling that the door was unlocked. The Governor quickly reached down and turned the knob allowing Franky to kick it open the rest of the way with her foot. The brunette stepped into the airlock, slamming her back against the door to make sure it closed and locked again as quickly as possible. It seemed like they had outrun them by quite a bit in the end, but she wasn’t taking any chances.

She bent down, and gently put Vera’s feet on the ground. “Are you able to stand now?”

Vera gave a small nod, “I’ll try.” She tentatively put her weight onto her feet, and found she could stand, but probably not walk too far or very fast just yet.

“Are you okay?” Franky winced at her own question, “Of course you’re not okay, but, I mean, they didn’t try to do anyth-“

Vera shook her head as the tears started down her face, and she wrapped her arms around Franky’s torso. She hid her face in the soft fabric of the younger woman’s shirt, and felt strong arms wrap around her.

There was a loud bang on the glass in the window of the door, and Franky felt Vera jump. “Your time will come, you fucking screw lover! Mark my words!” The inmate banged on the glass one last time before limping away.

“Why did you help me? You’ve got a huge target on your back now.”

“Maybe I’m not such a bad person after all, hey?” Franky felt Vera’s arms tighten around her.


	22. Chapter 22

Franky wasn’t sure how long they had been standing there when Will came around the corner and saw them in the airlock. He rushed over and quickly swiped his card, opening the door.

“What the hell happened?” He looked down at Vera, seeing her bruised face, and then back up to Franky.

“She saved me.” Vera’s voice was small. “Three inmates had me in the showers.” She closed her eyes.

“Well that would explain the one laying back there with her face smashed up.”

“Let me guess,” Franky spoke. “One of Juice’s crew?”

Will nodded, “Looks like it, yeah.”

“She was pissed about the cell toss. Her betting books and money got confiscated. Said people were looking for their money back and she didn’t have any way to pay them.” Franky knew that in prison you didn’t lag, but Will had pretty much figured it out anyway, and she couldn’t get in much more trouble with the inmates than she already was. Helping an officer was pretty much the worst thing an inmate could do.

“Do you need to go to Medical? Either of you?” Franky and Vera both shook their heads.

“I’d just like to go home, I think.” Vera finally let go of the tall brunette, and swiped her card to open the other door so she could go back to her office then leave for the night.

“Hey, wait, you shouldn’t go alone. I’ll walk with you.” Will had rushed through the airlock to catch up with Vera.

“I’ll be fine. It’s lockdown now anyway. You go with Franky, and I want someone with her 24/7 until we get things settled down again. Understand?”

Will nodded and motioned for Franky to follow him. After a minute he spoke, “I know why you did it, but fuck.”

“I know. I’m in shit. I couldn’t leave her there. Bridget’s told me what she’s seen them do to people.”

“I know, Franky. We’ll do our best to keep you safe, but you need to watch your back now too, okay?” They had stopped just before they got to her unit.

Franky glanced around to make sure they were alone, then lowered her voice. “Why didn’t you take the phone you found today in my cell?”

“You use it to call Bridget, yeah?” he asked. Franky nodded. “That’s why. She’s different since you’ve been in here. Just not quite herself most days, you know? If extra phone calls help you guys get through this, then I’m not going to take that away. We’re worried about drug dealers and people trying to hire contract killers, things like that. Not someone who just misses her girlfriend.”

“Thanks, Will. Really.” Franky didn’t often get emotional, but after the day she’d had, she was starting to. Knowing that her being in there was causing Bridget enough pain that other people noticed, made her heart break.

“Just find a better hiding spot. In case it’s not me next time.” He gave her a small smile, and swiped his card, unlocking the gate. “I’ll be out here tonight. Don’t leave here without myself or another officer from now on.” Franky nodded and waited while he opened the gate, then locked her inside for the night.

She closed the door to her cell behind her and retrieved her phone from under the mattress. She wanted to call Bridget, to see how her and Emily’s day at the aquarium had gone. It was getting late though and Emily would probably already be in bed, most likely Bridget was as well. She remembered how the blonde had almost fallen asleep while sitting on the counter leaning against her after their day at the park. She was like a kid in that way; the excitement of big days like that got to her and she tended to crash after. It was something about her that Franky found adorable.

She decided on a text for tonight. She didn’t want to wake them if they were asleep, and she didn’t want to ruin what had probably been a fun day by telling Bridget what had happened with Vera.

_To: 61 3 9642 0440  
I hope you guys had a great day and saw some awesome stuff at the aquarium! It’s a bit late and I figured you’d both be exhausted. Didn’t want to wake you with a phone call. I’ll talk to you tomorrow though. Love ya. X_

********

Bridget woke the next morning, and realized she’d spent the night on the couch. She’d put Emily to bed not long after they had gotten home, and then laid down to watch a show on TV before she went to bed herself. She squinted against the sunlight coming in through the window as she sat up. She picked up her phone and saw that Franky hadn’t called, but had sent a text instead. The blonde smiled at how thoughtful the brunette was to be concerned about not disturbing them. She got up and set about making breakfast for her and Emily so they could eat before Tim arrived to pick her up.

Emily walked out into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes, just as Bridget was getting ready to serve breakfast.

“Good morning, love,” Bridget sat their plates down on the table. “Did you sleep well?” Emily nodded as she sat down at the table.

They chatted while they ate. Bridget found out that Emily had made some new friends at school, and that she was excited about a trip her class would be taking to a local museum. She never asked about Franky, and Bridget figured it was because she understood that it might be awhile before she was around again. They finished up, and Bridget sent her to pack her things while she cleared the table.

When Tim arrived, Emily ran to meet him, Bridget’s iPad in her hand so she could show him all the pictures they’d taken at the aquarium. “Hey, darling,” He knelt down beside her and kissed the side of her head while she started telling a story about each picture.

Bridget smiled at the sight of her niece so excited to share everything with her dad. She walked down to Emily’s room to bring her bag out for her. When she got to the bed, she noticed that Emily had forgotten to pack her teddy bear. Bridget unzipped the bag to put it in for her, and noticed there were a few granola bars tucked away inside. She smiled to herself, thinking how she had bought them knowing that they were one of Emily’s favourite snacks. She carried the bag out and set it beside the door.

“You going to stay for a minute? Have some coffee?” Bridget hadn’t really had a chance to catch up with her brother since he’d moved here a couple of weeks ago.

“Thanks, Bridge, but I’ve got to get back home. There’s a big presentation tomorrow and I need to finish up a few things.” He kissed her cheek goodbye. “And thanks for looking after Em.

“Aw, she’s a pleasure to have here. I’ll drop by sometime this week with printouts of those photos for her, okay?”

“Yep, thanks.” Tim and Emily were out the door, and Bridget once again looked around her empty house.

********

It was shortly after lunch when Vera showed up at Bridget’s door.

“Oh my god, Vera, what happened?!” The blonde took in the sight of her friend. Her face was bruised, and she was obviously favouring one of her legs.

“That’s actually what I came here to talk to you about. Something happened at work last night.” Vera hesitated. “Franky was involved.”

Bridget felt her stomach drop. She was hoping the Governor didn’t mean that Franky was responsible for her injuries, but Bridget knew how manipulative and threatening some of the women could be. She knew the brunette would never do something like this on her own, but she worried that Franky had maybe had no choice. “Come in, please.”

They sat in the living room, and Vera began to tell her friend what had taken place the night before. “First of all, Franky didn’t do this. I realized after I said she was involved, and saw the look on your face that you were worried about that.” Vera gave a weak, apologetic smile. “I was doing my final round for the night, and an inmate pulled me into the H-block showers. There were two more of them waiting for me in there, all wearing masks. I’m pretty sure it had something to do with the cell toss I’d ordered earlier in the day. Anyway, one of them restrained me while the other beat on me, and the third stood watch outside. I heard the guard tell someone that the showers were occupied, and it seemed like they had left. I felt like my hope of maybe being rescued was gone. Then a minute or so later, I heard the guard talking to someone again. Then Franky burst through the door and took out both of the other inmates. I tried to get up, but I couldn’t walk, so she carried me, and ran until we got to an airlock and got in between the doors.” Bridget could see the tears in Vera’s eyes. “After everything I said about her, and did to keep you apart, she didn’t even hesitate. And when I was too scared to let go of her, she just held on to me, and made sure I was okay. She could have just walked away, Bridget. She could have left me there, but she didn’t, and now she’s a target. You know what happens when an inmate sides with an officer.”

“Oh, Vera.” Bridget didn’t know what to say. She was glad her friend was okay, but she was concerned for her girlfriend. “It’s just what she does. That’s Franky.”

“I’ve put her under 24/7 guard. When Will is on duty, it will be him. When he’s off, I’ll have to assign someone else. I’m going to put a call through to the police too and see where they are with her case. We need to get her out of Wentworth. The sooner the better.” Vera took a deep breath. “I have a favour to ask you. I have something I need help with there tonight. Can you come by, say around seven? I’ll meet you in your office?”

Bridget was a little confused by Vera’s request, but if she needed her help then she’d be there. “Yeah, of course.”

“Right. I’ve got something to do before that, so I’m going to take off, but I’ll see you later on.” Vera got up and made her way to the door.

********

“Franky,” Linda walked into her cell, closing the door behind her. “I’ve got a message from Vera for you.”

“Don’t get my arse kicked? Yeah, I got that one.” Franky smiled at her. The brunette appreciated Vera’s concern. The officers had told her she’d called several times throughout the night and morning, making sure that nothing had happened to Franky.

“No,” Linda said, “She’s just concerned, yeah?” Franky gave a small nod. “She wants you to complain about not feeling well after you eat dinner. At seven, ask to go to Medical, alright?”

“Yeah, sure. Should be believable. The food here is usually a bit dodgy.” She went back to reading her book, and Linda resumed her post just outside the unit.

********

Seven o’clock came, and Bridget was waiting patiently in her office for Vera to show up. She only had to wait a few minutes before there was a knock at the door.

“Come in.” Vera entered, followed by Franky.

Vera spoke quickly. “I need you both to come with me. There’s not a lot of time, so I’ll explain when we get there.” She led them down a couple of hallways until they came to a stop outside of a room. Bridget and Franky both looked at each other, unsure. Vera opened the door marked ‘Conjugal Room 1’, and motioned for the couple to go inside. She stepped in behind them and closed the door.

The only light in the room was from the strings of fairy lights that had been put up, giving it a warm glow. There was an oil diffuser sitting on one of the small tables, giving off the aroma of sandalwood. The bed linen looked much more luxurious and soft than anything prison issued. The two stared around the room, taking it all in.

Vera cleared her throat. “So, I, uh, haven’t expressed my gratitude for what you did last night.” the Governor looked at Franky. “I haven’t really known how. You saved me from, at the very least, being badly beaten, and maybe even saved my life. I can’t do much to help your situation in here, but I thought maybe there was something I could do to say thank you. So, this room is yours for the night. I’ve assigned myself the night shift in this section, and Will is here tonight too. The CCTV was turned off while I brought you both up here, which was why we had to be quick.” She sat a radio down on the bedside table. “So how this has to work, is that neither of you leave this room without myself, or Will, accompanying you. We’ll need to turn off the cameras to get you out of here. So if you need us, use the radio. Click the button twice, don’t say anything, we’ll know it’s you. Otherwise, I’ll be back just before morning count to take you to Medical, then you’ll go back to your unit from there. Okay?”

Franky just stared at her, “Are you fucking serious?”

Vera nodded, “I am. I know this has been hard on both of you, so I hope this helps a bit, even if it’s only for one night.”

She turned to leave when Franky grabbed her arm, “Hey.” She waited until Vera met her eyes. “Thank you.”

Vera gave a final nod, then left.

Bridget walked over and locked the door. Of course, it could be opened by the officers, but it would stop any inmates from walking in on them. She felt Franky come up behind her, putting a hand against the wall on each side of her, and gently pressing her body against the blonde’s.

“You know what I hate the most about being in here?” Franky whispered, her lips next to Bridget’s ear. The blonde shook her head. “I hate seeing you walk down the hall, and knowing just from the look on your face that you’re hurting, and there’s nothing I can do about it. It’s made me realize something though. That I’m absolutely, totally, completely, in love with you.” She placed a kiss on the back of Bridget’s neck, and the blonde let out a shaky breath.

Bridget started to turn, and Franky eased back enough that she was able to, before pressing her body against her again. The blonde looked into green eyes, “I’m so in love with you too, baby.”

She wrapped a hand around the back of Franky’s neck, and pulled her down to meet her lips. The kiss was slow, and deep. As Bridget gently sucked and nipped on the brunette’s bottom lip, she felt a hand slide down each side of her neck and under her jacket, pushing it off over her shoulders. She removed her hand from the back of Franky’s neck, and let the garment slide down her arms to drop on the floor. She reached down and grabbed the hem of Franky’s t-shirt, pulling it up, and forcing their lips to part while she pulled it off over the brunette’s head, and discarded it somewhere to her left. Franky quickly reached down and rid Bridget of her v-neck shirt as well.

Franky watched as Bridget ran her eyes down over her torso, much the same way she had done that day in her office. The blonde ran her fingertips over the branches of Franky’s cherry blossom tattoo and the younger woman felt goosebumps erupt over her body. Bridget moved her hand around to the clasp of the brunette’s bra, and undid it. Franky let the straps slide down her arms, and discarded it to the side.

Bridget brought their lips together again, then slowly began kissing her way down Franky’s neck, taking her time to feel the pulse quicken beneath her lips. She bit down gently on the sensitive skin and heard the brunette suck in a sharp breath. The blonde ran her tongue from the base of Franky’s neck to the hollow between her collarbones, then continued kissing down her chest until she reached her breasts. She wasted no time capturing one of the brunette’s nipples between her lips and rolling her tongue back and forth across the tip of it. Franky let out a breathy ‘fuck’, and once again placed her hands against the wall behind Bridget for support. The blonde worked her way down Franky’s stomach, coming to the top of her pants. She undid the button, tucked one hand into each side, and slid them down the brunette’s long legs. Franky toed off her shoes and socks and stepped out of her pants so she was now standing in front of Bridget wearing only her underwear.

The blonde, now on her knees, ran her hands up the back of Franky’s thighs. She let her hands slide under the brunette’s underwear, and cupped her butt. Bridget held her in place while she let her lips brush gently over the fabric covering Franky’s clit and breathed out, letting the brunette feel her warm breath.

Franky was beyond turned on, but she forced her mind to focus. She wanted to lavish Bridget with her attention first. The brunette had been on the receiving end of Bridget’s affection since she’d been in here, but she hadn’t been able to return the favour, until now. She reached down and tangled her fingers in the blonde’s hair, gently pulling, signalling for her to come back up.

“Everything okay, baby?” Bridget looked into Franky’s eyes.

The brunette nodded, “I just...you first.” She leaned in for a long, slow kiss.

Bridget smiled as she reached up and cupped Franky’s face with her hand, brushing her thumb over her cheek. “Take me to bed.”

Franky backed Bridget towards the bed, unclasping and discarding her bra as they went. She reached down with one hand and pulled back the sheets, then picked up the blonde, and laid her on the bed. In the back of Bridget’s mind it registered that her observation the other day had indeed been right; Franky had been working out a lot since she’d been in here. The brunette reached down, unbuttoned Bridget’s pants, and slid them down and off her legs, taking her sandals with them. She took off her own underwear, then settled herself on top of the blonde.

“I’ve missed this,” Bridget gasped as Franky’s lips were finding all the right spots on her journey down the blonde’s neck and chest.

The brunette paused to swirl her tongue around each nipple, sending jolts down between Bridget’s legs. Franky moved down, placing kisses across the blonde’s ribcage. When she got to the sensitive spot on her side, she gave a small nip, causing Bridget to dig her nails lightly into the back of her shoulder. The younger woman moved down to the blonde’s stomach, leaving kisses and soft bites along the way.

She parted Bridget’s legs and settled herself between them. She turned her head, and kissed along the inside of the blonde’s thigh. At one spot, about midway up, she paused for a few seconds and applied some suction to a small patch of skin. Her and Bridget had an agreement never to intentionally leave marks on each other anywhere that would normally be visible, but everywhere else was fair game, and she wanted Bridget to remember this for the next few days when she saw it.

When she reached the top, Franky stopped and looked up at Bridget. Her normally bright blue eyes had turned dark and intense. The brunette lowered her head and ran her tongue along her girlfriend’s slick folds.

“Fuck, baby. Yes.” Bridget’s hand shot down to gently hold Franky’s head in place.

The brunette ran her tongue over Bridget a couple more times before wrapping her lips around the other woman’s clit and sucking gently, while slowly tonguing the small bundle of nerves. It only took a couple of minutes before Franky could tell that Bridget was nearing her orgasm. She looked up and saw the blonde’s eyes open, looking down at her, then snap shut as she threw her head back into the pillow. A steady stream of moans was coming from the older woman’s mouth and Franky could feel the tremors under her hand that was resting on Bridget’s thigh.

“Baby, oh god,” Bridget was close. “Oh fuck, wait, wait baby.”

Franky stopped her movements and picked her head up. “You okay, Gidge?”

“Yeah, I just, I don’t….” She was having trouble forming sentences. “I want to make this last.”

Franky gave a cocky grin, understanding now what the blonde’s issue was. She was doing her job too well, and Bridget was going to come faster than she herself wanted. “Babe,” Franky spoke, and waited until Bridget looked down at her, “there’s no rule that says you only get one tonight.” She lowered her head again and continued where she left off. It was only about a minute before the blonde was writhing again, grabbing at the sheets, and Franky’s hair. With a few final flicks of her girlfriend’s tongue, Bridget’s body shook as her fingers grasped the sheets until her knuckles were white. Franky stayed with her, slowing her movements, and prolonging the blonde’s orgasm as long as possible.

As soon as Bridget’s body stilled, the brunette brought two fingers to her entrance, and dipped them in slightly. The older woman let out a soft moan and pushed her hips forward, causing Franky’s fingers to move in a bit further. She knew the blonde’s clit would be overly sensitive for a few minutes, so she kissed the area where Bridget’s leg met her hip, another one of her ‘spots’.

“Please, baby,” Bridget whined, as she tried again to push herself fully onto Franky’s fingers.

The brunette gave in, buried both fingers into Bridget’s wet heat, and set a steady pace. She moved up the blonde’s body until she reached her breasts. She took a nipple between her lips, and gently scraped her teeth over it as she curled her fingers inside Bridget.

“Fucking hell,” the blonde arched her back, placing her hand on the back of Franky’s head , and pushing herself harder into the brunette’s mouth.

Franky lingered there, then switched to the other nipple until she felt Bridget’s muscles start to tighten and flutter around her fingers. She started to go back down the blonde’s body until she felt the hand, still on the back of her head, gently signal for her to move up to be face to face with her girlfriend.

She kept up her pace with her fingers, the blonde meeting her each time, as she looked into Bridget’s eyes, and watched the subtle changes in her expression when she hit a particularly good spot. “You like that?” Franky asked softly. The blonde gave a small smile, and a barely audible ‘yeah’.

Franky leaned down, capturing the other woman’s lips. She swiped her tongue along the blonde’s bottom lip, asking for entrance, which was immediately granted, and massaged the blonde’s tongue with her own. The kiss got sloppy as it became harder and harder for Bridget to concentrate on anything other than what Franky’s fingers were doing to her. The brunette felt Bridget clamp down hard on her fingers, as she moved her lips along the blonde’s jawline. With one final curl of Franky’s fingers, Bridget wrapped her arms tightly around her girlfriend, pulling her close, and felt the waves of pleasure wash over her for the second time.

When the blonde’s body had calmed once more, Franky picked her head up from the crook of her girlfriend’s neck and placed a featherlight kiss on her slightly parted lips. She pulled her fingers out slowly and the blonde whimpered at the loss of contact. Franky’s face hovered above Bridget’s and she reached up, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. The blonde looked into her girlfriend’s dark green eyes.

“What are you thinking, babe?” Franky asked quietly.

Bridget shook her head. “I just want to make you feel good, too.”

“You always do.”

Franky was already straddling one of Bridget’s legs, so the blonde bent her knee, and placed her foot flat against the mattress. The brunette immediately pressed into it, causing her clit to come into contact with Bridget’s soft skin. The blonde could feel Franky’s warmth and wetness on her leg. The younger woman lifted herself up, supporting herself with her arms as she began to move against her.

Bridget let her hands trail down Franky’s back, then placed them on her hips, slowing the brunette’s motions down a bit. Once Franky had adopted the pace that her girlfriend wanted, Bridget let her hands wander over her back, paying special attention to the sensitive area in the middle. The brunette lowered herself down onto her elbows so that she was able to meet the other woman’s lips. They kissed lazily and Bridget could feel the vibrations of the small moans Franky was making when their lips met. The blonde snaked her hand in between their chests, and gently squeezed one of Franky’s breasts. She took the nipple between her thumb and forefinger, and pinched as the brunette ground down against her. She did it again, matching Franky’s pace.

“Gidge…” Franky broke contact with the blonde’s lips just enough to whisper her name.

“Mmm?” Bridget continued her ministrations on Franky’s breast.

“Ah, fuck…” Franky couldn’t concentrate anymore on anything other than the feeling building quickly in her stomach. She moved her head back a fraction of an inch, only enough to be able to catch her breath, and she could still feel Bridget’s lips brush against hers as she moved. “I’m gonna come.”

Franky felt Bridget’s lips stretch into a small smile. “I’ve got you, baby,” the blonde cooed.

The brunette ground down one more time, and her body shook as her orgasm went through her. Bridget pulled her close, and held her tightly.

After a moment, Bridget flipped them over in one swift movement, so that Franky was now under her. The surprised brunette laughed, and Bridget gave her one of the sexiest smiles she’d ever seen. “I’m not done with you yet, baby,” the blonde husked as she lowered her head, and captured one of Franky’s still sensitive nipples in her mouth.

“Shit,” Franky arched her back.

Bridget worked her way down Franky’s body. She knew that the brunette loved having her tattoos touched and kissed. The psychologist part of her mind thought at one point that maybe it was a pleasure in pain thing, but she had quickly pushed that aside and accepted that it was just something her girlfriend liked. She kissed along the branches of the tattoo that wound from the brunette’s ribcage just under her breast, to her hip. When her lips had traveled about halfway down her stomach, Bridget reached down and ran her fingers along Franky’s slit. She smiled, feeling how much wetness had gathered there. Franky lifted her hips to meet the blonde’s touch, and Bridget let two fingers sink deep inside. She easily found the small, rough patch on the brunette’s upper wall, and applied a bit of extra pressure each time she passed over it. Franky’s mouth dropped open, and she let out a low moan.

When Bridget’s lips reached Franky’s centre, she slowed her fingers, but applied a bit more pressure. She laid herself down between her girlfriend’s legs, and placed one of them over her shoulder to give her more access. She reached up with her free hand to intertwine her fingers with Franky’s. She traced around the brunette’s clit slowly with the tip of her tongue, taking note of which areas made Franky involuntarily squeeze her hand a bit. She made sure to give those extra attention. After a few moments, she gave in, and wrapped her lips around the brunette’s clit. She let her tongue match the same, slow, steady rhythm as her fingers. With each thrust and lick, Franky’s grip on her hand tightened. It wasn’t long before she could feel shivers running through the brunette’s body.

“Holy fuck, Gidge.” Franky lifted her head and looked down at her as Bridget picked up her pace slightly. “Oh my god…” Her head fell back against the pillows.

Bridget watched as every muscle in the brunette’s toned body tightened. With a final swipe of her tongue, Franky went rigid and her back arched, mouth open in a silent scream before a wave ran over her, then another, and another, until she laid on the bed feeling like all her limbs had turned to jelly.

The blonde kissed her way up Franky’s stomach and chest until she was finally able to look the brunette in the eye. She wore a grin that told Franky she was very pleased with herself.

“What the fuck, Gidge? Where did you learn that move?” Franky laughed and Bridget just shrugged and gave her a small kiss.

“I love you, baby.”

“I love you, too.” Franky rolled to lay on her side, and Bridget turned and moved her back against her, taking up their usual spooning position. The brunette placed small kisses along the back of the blonde’s shoulder.

“Promise me once you’re out of here that you’ll never leave me again.”

Franky reached behind her and pulled the blankets over them. She wrapped her arms around the blonde and took hold of her hand. “I promise, Gidge.”

They laid there in comfortable silence for a few minutes then Franky could tell from Bridget’s breathing that she had fallen asleep.

“I’m not going anywhere, Gidge, because I promise I’m going to marry you someday.” She said softly, wrapping her arms around the older woman a little tighter and closing her eyes, knowing that sleep would come soon.

The blonde was somewhere between wake and sleep when Franky’s words drifted to her ears. ‘…I promise I’m going to marry you someday…’. She willed herself to be able to remember it in the morning.

********

It was just before six in the morning, and Vera was on her way to get Franky and Bridget so she could get them out of there before anyone else arrived for work. She arrived at the door and gave a light knock, not wanting to frighten them. She waited a few seconds, and heard nothing, so she knocked a bit louder. Still nothing.

“Seriously?” She mumbled. She began searching for the key on the ring attached to her belt. She did not want to go in there and wake them up. Vera didn’t do awkward well.

She finally found the key she was looking for and slid it into the lock. She entered the room using her hand as a shield to block her view of the bed, not wanting to catch her friend in a potentially embarrassing situation.

When she stepped into the room, straight in front of her she saw Bridget’s discarded jacket, a bra, Franky’s jeans and boots, and a t-shirt.

“Great. Wonderful.” Vera muttered sarcastically.

She slowly turned her head until the foot of the bed came into view around the edge of her hand. She continued, prepared to snap her eyes closed if she started to see something she shouldn’t. As she scanned up the bed, she realized they were both covered up to their shoulders, and she let out a sigh of relief.

She walked toward the bed, intending to wake them gently, when her foot hit one of Bridget’s sandals, knocking it against the wall. The blonde stirred at the noise. Vera watched as it seemed that Franky could sense Bridget’s movement, as she pulled her closer and placed a small kiss on the back of her shoulder. The Governor saw a small smile flicker on her friend’s face.

“Bridget.” Vera whispered. “Bridget.” She repeated, a bit louder this time.

The blonde stirred, and slowly opened her eyes. “Vera! What-“ It took her a minute to realize that she wasn’t in her own bed at home, but in Wentworth.

“I’m so sorry, but it’s time to get up. I have to get Franky back to Medical.” Vera saw Bridget give a small nod. “I’ll wait outside while you two, uh, get dressed.”

After she’d left, Bridget turned to Franky. “Baby.”

“Mmm.” Franky groaned.

“Baby, you need to wake up.” The blonde brushed the backs of her fingers over Franky’s cheek.

“Aw, Gidge, come on, we can sleep in for one day.” She tucked her head further into the pillow.

“Franky, look at me,” Bridget spoke softly, and Franky opened her eyes slowly, looking around and realizing where they were. “It’s time for you to go back to Medical. Vera’s waiting outside.”

The brunette nodded, and moved in to give Bridget a kiss before getting out of bed. The blonde followed her lead as they gathered their clothes from around the room and got dressed.

Just before they stepped out the door to head their separate ways, Bridget wrapped her arms around Franky. “Please be safe in there. Please.”

“I promise. I’m gonna be fine, Gidge. Got my own personal guard, remember?” Franky smiled.

The blonde still remembered Franky’s last words from the night before. “I know, baby. You always do follow through on your promises.” She smiled and gave Franky one last kiss before they went out to meet Vera.

The Governor gave them a small smile, “Bridget, I’ve cleared your morning schedule as well, so you can head home if you’d like. I wasn’t sure how uh, rested, you’d feel.”

A smirk came across Franky’s face, and she noticed a slight blush creep into Vera’s cheeks when she saw her expression.

“Oh, Vera, thanks. Yeah I think I’ll head home and change. I’ll see you this afternoon though. Both of you.” She knew Franky had a session scheduled every afternoon so she’d be sure to be back in time for that. She turned and headed toward her office to get her bag.

Vera started back toward Medical and Franky followed her. “Vera?”

The Governor glanced over her shoulder. “Yeah?”

“Thanks again. That was a really nice thing to do for us.”

“Don’t mention it. I owe you way more than that.” They stopped at the door to the Medical unit and Vera swiped her card. “Linda will be along to pick you up soon, and you can go back to your cell. She’s with you for the day.”

“Awesome.” Franky said unenthusiastically, and flopped down on one of the stretchers. She had a long day of nothing ahead of her.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! First of all, I'd like to say thank you to all the readers and everyone who's been supportive of my story! I thought that with everything that's going on, I'd like to do something a bit special, so I will be posting a bonus chapter. This chapter (23), is your normal Friday update, but then next week, I will be posting Chapter 24 on Tuesday, and Chapter 25 on Friday. I wanted to give a heads up so that no one accidentally skips a chapter next week. So again, thank you everyone, and please stay safe!

Bridget had gotten a few more hours of sleep, showered, and was now waiting in her office for Franky to arrive for her afternoon appointment. She was grateful for what Vera had done for them, but in some ways it had only made her feel worse about being away from her girlfriend. When she had laid down in her bed at home that morning, the memory of how Franky’s arms felt around her was so fresh in her mind that it was almost like she could still feel her there. Up until now, she’d been able to push that feeling out of her thoughts. It wasn’t that she wanted to forget how it felt, but more that it was a coping mechanism so she wouldn’t miss it as much. It was too painful to go back to that feeling every night.

There was a light knock on the door and Bridget didn’t even have time to answer before it swung open.

“Doyle here to see you.” Linda barely poked her head in the door before she was gone down the hall again.

Franky stepped inside, glanced down the hall after the officer, and closed the door behind her. “She’s been off all day,” she said, motioning in the direction Linda had taken off in.

“Hey baby.” Bridget stepped around her desk and met Franky in the middle of the room. She took the brunette’s face in both of her hands and gave her a long, deep kiss.

When they finally broke apart, Bridget reached behind her and grabbed the thermal mug from her desk. “I brought you something,” she said, handing it to the brunette.

Franky took a sip, “Mmm god, I haven’t had real coffee in weeks.”

“I thought you might like that.” Bridget gave her a wink. “Everything been alright today?”

“Yeah. I got Linda. She’s alright, but I prefer Will.” The brunette took another sip of her coffee as she leaned against the arm of one of the large green chairs.

Just then, Bridget’s mobile began ringing in her bag behind the desk. She gave Franky a confused look, she never got calls during the day. The brunette shrugged and Bridget fished it out of her bag. She didn’t recognize the number.

“Hello?”

“Bridget Westfall?” The voice on the other end asked.

“Yes, that’s me.” She glanced over at Franky.

“This is Lisa Johns. I’m the principal at Newport Gardens Primary School. I’m phoning because I have your niece Emily here, and she’s not feeling well, it’s her stomach.”

“Oh, I, um…her Dad is back from his business trip, have you tried calling him?” Bridget was sure that Tim had switched over the contact information on Emily’s file.

“We did. We called both of the numbers he provided twice and got no answer. Our policy after that is to call the secondary contact. Are you able to come pick her up?” The woman on the other end of the line waited for Bridget’s response.

“Yeah. Yes, of course. I’m on my way.” She hung up and looked at Franky. “I’m sorry, baby, but I have to go. Em is sick and needs to be picked up from school. They can’t get ahold of Tim.”

Franky stood up. “Is she alright?”

“They said she has a stomach ache.” Bridget began gathering her things into her bag. “I have to stop by Vera’s office and tell her I’m leaving. You’ll have to come with me and she can call Linda to come pick you up from there. I can’t leave you here alone.” She went to give Franky a quick kiss before they left, but stopped when she saw the look of concern on the brunette’s face. “Baby, she’ll be okay.”

Franky nodded. “I love you.” She gave Bridget a kiss. “And tell Em I love her too.”

“I will. I love you too.”

Franky followed her to Vera’s office. The governor was more than understanding about the situation, and told Bridget to let her know if she needed anything more picked up for her later. The brunette took a seat in one of the chairs in the office while she waited for Linda, and Bridget left to pick up Emily.

********

Bridget made her way to the main office of the school and spoke to the receptionist.

“Ms. Westfall?” A tall, middle-aged, blonde woman came out of an office and greeted her, holding out her hand. “I’m Lisa. I spoke to you earlier.”

Bridget shook her hand. “Yes, how is she feeling?”

“About the same, I think. She’s laying down in my office.” Bridget expected the other woman to take her to her niece then, but it seemed like she had more to say. “Her teacher has noticed a change in her mood during the past couple weeks.”

“Oh? How so?” Bridget thought back over her recent interactions with Emily. She had seemed okay the last few times she’d seen her, other than the incident with the wine.

“Her teacher noted that she seemed quieter and more withdrawn than she was during the time she stayed with you.”

“Her Mom passed away about six months ago. I expect that maybe being at my place gave her a break from the things in her own home that reminded her that her mother is gone. I suspect that maybe now that they’ve moved here permanently, it has hit her that things aren’t ever going back to how they used to be.” Bridget didn’t like to analyze the people close to her, but she wasn’t blind to their situations either. “She’s spent the past two weekends with me. I’ll keep an eye out for anything unusual from now on.”

“Yes, her weekends with you are the one thing that she does seem to like to talk about.” Lisa gave her a warm smile. “Also, someone named Franky.”

Bridget smiled thinking of all the time she had watched the two of them spend together. “My girlfriend.”

“Well, the two of you have certainly made an impression on her. Here, I’ll take you in to get her, you’re probably ready to be going home.”

Bridget followed her into her office, where Emily was laying on the couch.

“Auntie Bridge,” Emily gave a small smile. “They said you were coming to get me.”

“Yeah, love, I’m going to take you to my place for a bit. Hold my hand while we walk out?” Bridget reached down, and Emily sat up and took her hand, allowing her aunt to lead her out of the office and towards the parking lot.

Emily was quiet on the drive to Bridget’s house. The blonde kept an eye on her in the rear-view mirror. When they arrived, Bridget gave her one of her bigger t-shirts to change into, which ended up looking like a dress on her. She couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the little girl looking almost swallowed up by the garment.

“Would you like to go lie down in your bed?” Bridget asked her when she returned to the living room.

Emily shook her head. “I want to stay with you.”

“Okay. Why don’t we stay in the living room? You can lay on the couch, and I’ll sit with you?”

“Okay.”

Bridget placed a pillow at the end of the couch and Emily laid down. The blonde gathered a bottle of water from the kitchen and a bucket from the utility closet, and headed back to the living room.

She sat the bottle of water on the coffee table. “When you feel like it, I want you to drink a bit of this, okay? Slowly.” Emily nodded. She placed the bucket beside the couch. “And this is for in case you feel like you’re going to be sick.” Bridget reached behind the girl and took the blanket from the back of the couch. She placed it over her, making sure she’d stay warm. “I’m going to go change then I’ll be back.” She gave her niece a kiss on her temple, and went to her bedroom.

While she was in her room, out of earshot of Emily, she decided to try to call Tim. She called his mobile number and it went straight to voicemail…_’You’ve reached Tim Westfall, leave a message and I’ll get back to you ....’_. ”Hey, Tim, it’s me. Listen, I’ve got Em here at my place. The school called and said she wasn’t feeling well. They couldn’t get ahold of you so they called me. Give me a call as soon as you can. Bye.” She hung up and tried his home phone as well on the off chance that he was working from there today, but got the same result.

She changed out of her work clothes and went back to join Emily on the couch. She handed her niece the TV remote, and told her she got to pick their afternoon entertainment. Bridget watched the movie, thinking how it was complex considering it was made for kids. When it ended, she noticed that Emily had drank about half of the water she’d given her earlier.

“How’s your stomach feeling?” Bridget hoped the fact that she was drinking meant she was starting to feel better.

“A little better. I’m kind of hungry.”

“How about some toast? We’ll start with something small.” The young girl nodded and Bridget got up to make it for her. “Pick out another movie for us.” She called from the kitchen. Bridget glanced over and saw that she was about to choose ‘Despicable Me 3’. “Hey, love, not that one, okay?”

“Why not?” Emily asked.

“Because the last time you watched one of those, the minions gave you nightmares, remember?” _‘And you walked in on us.’_ She added in her mind. Bridget raised her eyebrows, waiting for the young girl’s answer.

“Yeah, okay.” She continued scrolling, and picked something else.

Thirty minutes later, Emily had eaten her toast, drank most of the rest of her water, and fallen asleep. Bridget walked quietly into her office and brought her laptop out to the living room. She thought she could at least get some of her paperwork done, even if she wasn’t at the prison.

********

Bridget was just finishing her supper when she saw the screen of her mobile light up. She had put it on silent so as not to wake Emily. It was Tim. She walked out onto the patio as she answered it.

“Hello?”

“Bridge, I’m so sorry.” Tim began.

“Where were you today?” Bridget knew she sounded like she was mad. She wasn’t. She was concerned.

“I just, I… had some things I needed to do.”

She took a deep breath. “Okay.” Now wasn’t the time to get into anything.

“Is she alright? I’ll come get her now.”

“She’s had something to eat and drink.” Bridget looked in at her sleeping niece through the large windows. “She’s already asleep. Why don’t you just let her stay for the night? I have her emergency change of clothes here, and I’ll take her to school in the morning if she’s feeling up to it.”

“Are you sure, Bridge?” Bridget thought he sounded almost relieved.

“Yeah, I’m sure. I’ll let you know how she’s doing in the morning.”

“Okay, thanks again.” He hung up the phone before she had a chance to say goodbye.

********

Vera looked at the clock. Only an hour left until her shift was over. She no longer did her final nightly rounds after what had happened the previous week. She’d been at the prison for nearly 24 hours now, having come in to facilitate her favour for Franky. She had managed to get a couple hour’s sleep in her office though between the time she took Franky back to Medical and when her actual shift started.

The phone on her desk rang. “Hello?”

“Hello Governor. This is Detective Anders. I’m calling in regards to the case involving Francesca Doyle.”

Vera’s heart rate doubled. This was the call she had been both eagerly awaiting and dreading for the past two weeks. She cleared her throat. “Go ahead.”

“Ms. Chang has woken up, and she remembers what happened the night of the incident….” The Detective went on to explain the details of the interview they had conducted when Kim woke up.

Vera listened without saying a word.

“…so this call is basically a professional courtesy. We’ll be seeing you by the end of the week.” The Detective finished.

“Uh, yes, thank you. I appreciate the update.” Vera hung up the phone. She got up and paced back and forth across her office. She had to tell Bridget. She knew it broke all the protocols, but she had to do it.

********

Not long after her conversation with Tim had ended, the screen on her phone lit up again. She wasn’t surprised to see that it was her friend calling. It wasn’t long until she would be heading home, and she was probably checking to see if Bridget needed anything dropped off for Emily.

“Hello, Vera.”

“Bridget,” Vera was struggling to remain calm so that she could explain to Bridget exactly what she had just found out. “I just had a call from one of the Detectives handling Franky’s case. Kim has woken up.” She paused. “It’s not good.”

The blonde was trying to process what Vera could mean. “Not good, like, she doesn’t remember what happened?” Bridget knew that if Kim couldn’t remember who attacked her, then the evidence pointed to Franky, and she would be charged.

“No, she remembers.” Vera took a deep breath. “She’s saying it was Franky who beat her.”

Bridget couldn’t hear anything besides the sound of her own heart beating in her ears. She felt nauseous. This was worse than Kim not remembering. When she was finally able to gather her thoughts, she spoke, “What? Vera, you know-“

“I know. I know she’s lying, but there’s no evidence to support that.” Vera sighed. “Look, the detective called me as a courtesy because she knew the news would affect a staff member. I shouldn’t even be telling you.”

“When will Franky find out? I want to be with her.” The blonde couldn’t bear the thought of her girlfriend sitting there alone when she was charged.

“They said it would be most likely Thursday before the paperwork was processed. Friday at the latest.”

“This is such a fucking mess.” Bridget could feel the tears in her eyes threatening to spill down her cheeks.

“I know. I’m so sorry. I will do anything I can on my end to help. In the meantime, do you need anything tonight?”

“No, I think I’m okay. Thank you though. Em is staying here for the night, and I think she’s feeling a bit better. She’s already asleep.” Bridget was thankful her niece was there, even though she was sleeping. She loved having her there anyway, but tonight it gave her something to divert her attention to, even if it was only for a few minutes.

“Okay. You know where to find me if you change your mind.”

Bridget thanked her again and they said their goodbyes.

********

“Hey, Linda.” Franky stuck her head out the door of her cell. “Can you take me to the showers now?”

“Seriously? It’s less than a half hour until shift change. Can’t it wait until the morning?” Linda’s commitment to her job only went so far, and didn’t include doing anything she didn’t absolutely have to.

“Come on. I’ll be quick.” Franky knew she should have asked earlier but she’d lost track of time, and now she really wanted to get clean before she went to bed.

Linda huffed, “Alright, but make it fast.”

Franky grabbed her towel and shower bag from her cell, and Linda escorted her to the showers.

She stepped under the stream of hot water, and let it relax her muscles. She rested her forearms against the tiles, and let it hit the back of her head and run down her back. She always lost track of time when she was in there.

“Doyle! Hurry up!” Linda’s shout from outside barely registered in Franky’s mind.

Outside, Linda looked at her watch. It was only five minutes until her shift was over. It would take her that long to walk to the lounge and gather her things. She had to leave on time tonight. Someone had given her a hot tip for the track, and she needed the money. She glanced down at her watch again. The hallway was deserted. Will was the one who would be taking over for her on the night shift. She figured he was probably already there, just still up in the lounge. Franky would only be alone for a few minutes, and she’d get to leave on time. She decided that leaving her post was a risk she was willing to take.

She hurried from the H-block showers toward the officer’s lounge. On the way, she passed by Radic who, once Linda had gone out of sight, quickly hurried to Juice’s cell door.

“I just saw Ms. Miles go by without Doyle. She must still be in the shower.”

Juice peered over the top of the magazine she was reading on her bed. “Get the boys.”

Franky heard the door open behind her, “Yeah I’m coming Linda!”

“So you call all the officers by their first names, eh? Not just the Governor’s pet then, are we?” Franky turned just in time to see the shower curtain ripped open behind her. Juice stood directly in front of her, with two of her boys waiting just behind. She let her eyes roam up and down over Franky’s naked body and licked her lips. “Get her out of there boys.” Juice stepped aside and allowed the other two to grab the brunette, one taking a hold of each arm.

Franky struggled, but she didn’t have a weapon this time, and she didn’t have the element of surprise on her side. She had nothing, not even clothing to offer any bit of protection from what she knew was coming. And with nothing, she was no match for the two holding her. They dragged her to the middle of the room. She kicked out her legs, but Juice stepped back just enough that she couldn’t reach her. As soon as she had her feet back on the ground, she felt the inmates on either side of her place a foot behind each of her knees and pushed forward, forcing her to kneel. She tried to get one of her arms free, but that only made them twist them further behind her. She was out of options.

“You know why I’m gonna enjoy this?” Juice asked. Franky held her stare and refused to give any sort of answer or reaction. “It’s almost like a two for one deal. We take care of you and we’re getting rid of a screw lover, and the psych’s girlfriend. You know, she’s rejected my advances more than once. Stuck up bitch, she is. Maybe she’ll reconsider after this. You won’t be so pretty when we’re done.

“Fuck you,” Franky spat out.

The fist came out of nowhere and landed square on her jaw, snapping her head to the side. The second one came from the opposite side, knuckles crashing into her cheekbone. Franky’s head flopped forward. She tasted blood. The next blow she felt was a fist to her stomach that knocked her breath out of her. The blows continued, and she knew she wouldn’t be awake for much longer.

********

“Hey, Will.” Linda entered the officer’s lounge.

Will peeked out around his locker door. “What are you doing up here? I thought you were watching Franky today?”

“Yeah I am.” She unlocked her locker and began putting her things into her bag.

“Yeah and I’m relieving you, so again, what are you doing up here?” This wasn’t the first time Linda had shown carelessness in her duties, but it was the first time he had known her to knowingly put a prisoner in danger.

“Ah calm down. I have to leave on time today. I couldn’t wait for you to get down there.” She closed her locker door and lifted her bag onto her shoulder. “She’s in the shower. Head down there now and she won’t have been alone more than five, ten minutes max.”

“Christ, Linda!” Will turned and took off towards H-block. Moving as fast as he could through the hallways. The prison, by design, was not made to let people pass through it quickly.

When he turned down the hallway toward the showers, he could see the silhouettes of three inmates, gathered around something, or someone, on the floor. It looked like they were stomping on whatever it was.

Will knew immediately what was going on and he reached for his radio. “Officer needs immediate assistance in H-block showers! Medical required!”

Will slammed into the door, sending it crashing open just as the alarm began to sound. Radic raised her foot and brought it down hard on the back of Franky’s left shoulder with a sickening thud, and the brunette cried out in pain.

“Get the fuck out!” He pushed them out of his way, and out toward the edges of the room, away from Franky. “I said get the fuck out!” He yelled. Will would let the officers who were on their way worry about rounding up the other inmates, right now, he needed to get Franky medical attention.

He grabbed her towel off the hook, and knelt down beside her. “Hey! Franky! Look at me!” He draped the towel over her.

“Will…” she tried to turn over, and winced in pain.

“Easy, easy. Yeah, it’s me. We’ve got to get you to Medical. Are you able to stand?” He looked behind him. There was no sign of any other officers approaching yet. He knew in reality it had only been a few seconds, but it seemed like forever.

“I’ll try.”

With Will’s help, Franky was able to get to her feet. He picked up the towel that had fallen to the floor, and wrapped it around the brunette’s body, tucking it into itself just behind her uninjured arm. Normally, she would have had a smart remark for him about seeing her naked, but right now everything hurt. She felt a stabbing pain when she tried to take a deep breath, and she couldn’t move her left arm.

He put an arm around her for support, and they started their slow journey to Medical. They had met officers on their way, and he sent them to round up Juice and her crew. They’d be spending at least the next week in the slot.

When they entered Medical, the nurse was still preparing her supplies in anticipation of Franky’s arrival. Will helped her over to the bed, and got her laying down. The nurse started at the top with her evaluation. She checked her for a concussion; all clear, but she’d need to be under observation for at least 24 hours. In the end, the nurse determined that she had a dislocated shoulder and probably a couple of broken ribs.

Vera arrived not long after the nurse had finished her assessment. She stood beside Will, who was just outside the door, observing through the large windows. The governor knew when she heard the call on her radio who it was, but until she had actually seen it for herself, she didn’t want to believe it. Now though, it was real. She lowered her head, staring at a point on the floor, and felt Will’s arm wrap around her shoulders.

“I failed her.” Vera swiped at a tear that was about to fall from the end of her nose.

“No, you didn’t. Linda did. She left her post early, before I got there.”

“I should have made her go into protection.” She wiped away another tear.

“You put her under 24-hour guard. She was attacked in the shower, not her unit. Even if she was in protection, she would have been alone in the shower room with a guard outside, which is exactly what should have been happening anyway. The problem was that Linda left, and that’s not your fault.”

Vera nodded. “I guess.” The nurse motioned for her to come inside. She was ready to give her report, but the Governor wasn’t sure she was ready to hear it. She stepped into the treatment room. “What are we looking at?”

“No concussion, but she will need to be observed for at least the next twenty four hours to watch for a delayed onset of symptoms. Bruising to the face but nothing seems broken there. She does however, most likely have a broken rib, but the doctor may want an x-ray to confirm that. There is bruising on most of her torso, but my initial exam revealed no evidence of internal injuries. She also has a dislocated shoulder. The doctor is on his way in and he will reset it. She’s been given some pain meds, a mild sedative and a muscle relaxer, as per the doctor’s orders, in preparation for the procedure when he arrives. In other words, she will be sore for awhile, but there doesn’t appear to be any permanent damage.” The nurse finished her report, and looked to Vera for any questions she may have.

“Can I speak with her?”

“You can try, but you probably won’t have much luck until the morning when those meds wear off.” The nurse placed Franky’s chart on the bedside table and left the governor to talk with her patient.

The tears started again. “Franky, I’m so sorry.” She reached down, and took hold of the brunette’s right hand, giving it a small squeeze. She felt Franky’s fingers twitch in response.

“S’okay.” Franky mumbled without opening her eyes.

“Franky,” she looked around to make sure there was no one else within earshot. “Did they do or try anything other than the beating?” She thought back to her own assault, thankful that they hadn’t gone that far with her. Franky however, had been in a much more vulnerable situation when Juice and her crew had found her.

“No.” The brunette shook her head slightly and winced at the movement. “Gidge?”

“She’s not here right now. I’ll let her know what happened though. As soon as I leave here.” She went to leave to allow Franky to get some rest.

“Vera…” Franky’s small voice made Vera stop and look back towards the bed. “Stop crying. I’ll be okay.”

Vera gave a small nod and continued on her way out.

“Will, you’re with her tonight, don’t leave for anything, don’t respond to any codes or alarms. Nothing. I’m going to Bridget’s.” She marched down the hallway.

********

Bridget had just moved Emily from the couch to the spare bedroom when there was a light knock on the door.

“Vera!” She was surprised to see her friend there considering they had already talked on the phone, and Bridget had told her they didn’t need anything. As soon as she laid eyes on her friend’s face, she knew something was wrong. “What’s happened?” Bridget stepped aside so that she could enter.

“Let’s go sit down, okay?” Vera led the way into Bridget’s living room and sat down on one section of the L-shaped couch. Bridget sat on the other section, and turned to face her. Vera took a deep breath. “There was an incident right before I left. Franky was involved. The officer assigned to her was negligent and left their post before Will came to relieve them. During that time, Franky was left in the showers, alone. Gambaro and her crew must have been waiting for their opportunity, because in the few minutes that Franky was unguarded, they attacked her. As soon as Will realized that she’d been left alone, he raced there and broke up the assault. It was three on one. Franky was on the floor, still awake. He says she was talking and recognized him. She was able to walk, with assistance, to Medical for treatment. The nurse said it’s mostly bruising, but she does have a dislocated shoulder and possibly a broken rib. The doctor was on his way in when I left to set her shoulder, and she’d been medicated. Something for pain, and a sedative to help her stay still and rest. I spoke to her for a moment, but as you can imagine she wasn’t in a state to say much. She did ask for you though, so I said I would make sure you knew what had happened.” Vera had been looking down at her hands the whole time she’d been talking. When she finally looked up, she saw silent tears streaming down her friend’s face. “I’m so sorry.”

“Can I see her?” Bridget knew Emily was there, but she thought maybe Vera would be willing to watch her for a couple hours while she checked on her girlfriend.

“Bridget. I can’t….I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to go in there right now. The doctor had to do the procedure on her shoulder, and the nurse said she’d be sedated until at least the morning. Stay here and be with Em. That’s what she’d want right now I think.”

Bridget nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. She was so concerned this morning when I got the call about Em.” Bridget thought back to the look on her girlfriend’s face when she told her Emily wasn’t feeling well.

Vera put her hand on Bridget’s knee. “I’m going to make us some tea.” Bridget nodded.

They sat and drank, and when they had both finished, Vera asked Bridget if she’d be okay there alone for the night. Bridget assured her that she was, but made it clear that she wanted to see Franky first thing in the morning. Vera gave her a hug and another apology on her way out the door.

Bridget peeked into Emily’s room to make sure she was still asleep, then went around the house, making sure the doors were locked and turning out the lights before she settled into her own bed for what would probably be a sleepless night.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here is the bonus chapter! Enjoy, and stay safe!

Bridget managed to get in a couple hours of sleep before she saw the first rays of sunlight through the blinds in her bedroom windows. She figured the fact that Emily hadn’t shown up at any point during the night meant that she had slept, and that she’d be able to go to school that day. She got out of bed, and went to see if Emily was awake yet.

She slowly opened the door and saw that the young girl was still sleeping peacefully. Bridget walked over and sat on the edge of the bed beside her.

“Em, time to wake up, love.” Bridget ran her hand gently back and forth across the girl’s back to wake her up. Emily stirred a bit then seemed to settle back to sleep. Bridget tried again. “Em, wake up.”

“I’m awake, Mom.” Emily mumbled again, still not very far out of sleep.

Bridget closed her eyes for a second. Hearing Emily mistake her for her mother broke her heart. It was the first time it had happened, and Bridget assumed she had triggered some memory in the little girl’s mind. She rubbed her back for a few more seconds as Emily came more awake.

“Hey, love. How are you feeling?”

“Better. Good.” She looked up. Studying Bridget’s face for a minute then put her arms out for a hug. The blonde smiled, knowing that her niece had sensed that something was off. She leaned over and let the girl wrap her arms around her neck.

“Time to get up then, okay? I’ll make us some breakfast then drop you off at school.” Bridget gave her a kiss on the forehead then left her to get dressed.

Out in the kitchen, the blonde got their breakfast started, then went to work making them each a sandwich to take for lunch. ‘Cheese on top’ she thought to herself. When she had finished, she looked through Emily’s bag for her lunchbox. It wasn’t there, and Bridget thought maybe she’d forgotten it at school. She had an extra lunch bag she could let her take though, so she grabbed that, and packed the sandwich along with a couple of snacks and a bottle of water.

Emily emerged from her bedroom a few minutes later, and climbed up on one of the stools at the kitchen island. Bridget sat her plate in front of her. She’d made scrambled eggs and toast along with a small dish of berries.

“I know you’re feeling better but eat slowly, okay? You barely ate yesterday.” Bridget cautioned her niece.

Once they had finished breakfast, Bridget dropped her off at school, and headed straight to Wentworth. She knew she’d be over an hour early for work, but she intended to spend the extra time with Franky.

As soon as she had dropped off her things at her office, she went straight to Medical. When she arrived, Will was seated outside the door, almost at the end of his shift, and the nurse was inside finishing up some paperwork. Will stood as she approached.

“Vera told me what you did. I don’t know how to thank you.”

Will shrugged, “It’s my job, and I promised her I’d help get her through this. I know my opinion doesn’t matter, but she deserves to go home.”

Bridget put her hand on WIll’s arm and gave a small nod before entering Medical.

“I’m here to see Franky Doyle. I understand she was involved in an incident last night.” The blonde tried to sound as professional as possible even though she could see Franky lying in one of the beds, and wanted nothing more than to run to her side.

“Bit early, don’t you think? She’s not awake yet.” The nurse went back to her work.

“Uh, yes, well the governor requested that I see her first thing as soon as possible. So here I am.” Bridget was about two seconds from just barging in anyway.

“Alright, I have to go submit this report anyway.” The nurse got up, and left.

Bridget closed the door and walked over to Franky’s bed, pulling the curtain around it. She looked down at the brunette’s face and felt the tears in her eyes immediately. It all just looked painful to her. There wasn’t a lot of swelling but she definitely had some bad bruising, and there was still some dried blood on her nose and lip. Her arm had been placed in a sling, and Bridget assumed that was due to the dislocated shoulder. She could see more bruising leading down under the collar of her gown, and assumed it continued over the rest of Franky’s body. Her first instinct was to reach out and cup Franky’s cheek but she quickly pulled her hand back, afraid to hurt her.

“You can touch me.” Franky’s voice made Bridget jump.

“How did you-“ The surprised blonde stopped mid-sentence.

A small smile appeared on the brunette’s lips. “It’s your thing, Gidge.”

“My thing?”

“Yeah, it’s what you do when you want to comfort someone. You’ve always done it with me. I’ve seen you do it with Em too.” Franky opened her eyes and looked at Bridget. “I like it.”

The blonde reached out again, and gently rested the palm of her hand against her girlfriend’s cheek. “How are you feeling, baby?”

“Like I was run over repeatedly by a bus.”

“Hang in there. Ask for the good meds.” Bridget gave her a small wink and they both laughed. “I have to go, but I’ll be back to check on you again later, ok?”

Franky nodded and reached up with her uninjured hand to tap her cheek. Bridget smiled and kissed the spot where the brunette had pointed. “I love you.”

“I love you too, babe.” Franky closed her eyes again, and Bridget figured that with meds that were still in her system, she’d be back to sleep in no time.

********

It was almost time for Vera to be arriving, and Bridget wanted to catch her before anyone else was looking for her. She hurried down the hall towards the governor’s office. Vera hadn’t arrived yet but the time Bridget got there, so her receptionist let the blonde into her office to wait. Bridget took a seat in one of the chairs, but felt too restless to stay seated. She got up and paced back and forth, occasionally looking out the window, hoping to find something outside to distract her.

The office door opened behind her. “Ah, Bridget, you’re here early. Is Em feeling better then?” Vera entered, hanging up her coat on the coat rack behind her desk.

“Yeah, she said she felt better when she woke up.” Bridget hesitated for a moment. “I’ve been to see Franky already.” She took a deep breath. “Vera, she looks pretty beat up.”

Vera looked to the floor, then out the window. “I know. I saw her last night.” She looked out the window for another few seconds before she continued. “I want you to know I’m dismissing Linda. She left her post without authorization, endangering an inmate’s life.”

“It was Linda?”

Vera nodded, “Seems like she was in a hurry to leave last night. That’s what Will said anyway.”

Bridget let Vera’s words sink in. While Linda was by no means someone Bridget would consider a close friend, she did sometimes go out with them, and she had met Franky at Bridget’s birthday party and the night at the bar. She was disappointed that she would abandon Franky at a time when she would have been prone to being attacked.

“What I really came to talk about was what you told me in your first call last night. Vera, if they formally charge her, we have almost no hope of getting her out of here. She’s going to do years for something she didn’t do.” The reality of the situation had sunk in when Bridget was laying in bed last night. It was much easier to get released if you could avoid being formally charged than if you were convicted and had to fight it in court.

“The best I can do is try to delay them somehow, but I think they’re ready to move on this. They’ve got the victim statement, an eyewitness who actually spoke to Franky, so he’s sure it’s her, Franky admitting to being at the scene, and forensic evidence at her apartment, which by the way, how the hell did that get there?” When Vera had really sat down and looked at the case, she realized, from a legal standpoint just how absolutely screwed Franky was.

“Kim had shown up at her place before. Franky said she threw stuff around and broke it. It must have been from then. She didn’t do this, Vera!” Bridget knew she was sounding desperate and she hated it.

“I know!” Vera rarely raised her voice, but she needed to make Bridget stop and listen to her. She continued more quietly. “I know, but unless you can find out what really happened in that alley, she’s going to do the time for it.”

“Are you going to give her a heads up before they show up here?” If Vera planned to tell her, Bridget wanted to be with her when it happened.

“I can’t,” Vera sighed. “Technically I’m not supposed to know, and neither are you.”

The blonde nodded, understanding that Vera was telling her not to say anything either and risk getting anyone in trouble.

“I told the nurse that you had requested my early visit this morning. I thought I’d let you know in case she said anything.” Bridget was ready to leave and find some work to use as a distraction. If she had her way, she’d just sit with Franky all day, but she knew that would be pushing it.

“That’s fine. You can visit her as often as you like. If anyone mentions it I’ll say it’s authorized.” Vera and Bridget exchange nods of understanding, and Bridget left to go back to her office.

********

Bridget had worked through her lunch break, eating her sandwich at her desk while doing paperwork, in order to use her free slot to go see Franky. As she approached Medical, she saw Matt sitting outside. He gave her a nod as she went in. It didn’t appear that the nurse was there at the moment, and the curtain around Franky’s bed was still pulled closed.

Bridget walked quietly, not wanting to wake her if she was sleeping. As she peered around the curtain, she saw Franky standing back-to, naked. A pile of her clothes were on the bed along with the gown she had been wearing earlier. She was struggling at the moment to get her t-shirt over her injured arm with the use of just one hand.

“Franky.” Bridget spoke softly so as not to startle her.

Franky half turned and glanced back at her. “I’m okay, Gidge.”

“Yeah, but let me help anyway.” Bridget took the shirt from Franky, and put it on the bed. She picked up the bra instead. “This first, yeah?” She smiled.

“I gave up on trying to get that on by myself.” Franky gave a laugh.

“Lucky I came along then.” Bridget chuckled. She gently guided the brunette’s arms through the straps and fastened it for her in the back. “That’s not too tight on your ribs or hurts your shoulder?” Franky shook her head.

Next, the blonde picked up the pair of underwear and knelt down in front of Franky. She held them just above the floor so her girlfriend could step into them. When Franky didn’t move, she looked up at her, and saw a smirk on the brunette’s face.

Bridget shook her head and smiled, “Just put ‘em on.” The brunette laughed and stepped into them. Bridget stood, pulling them up.

She took the pair of pyjama pants from the bed, and helped Franky into those, then the shirt came last.

“So does this mean they’re letting you go back to the unit?” Bridget gestured to Franky’s outfit.

The brunette sat back down in the bed. “I don’t think so. Doc said I should sleep sitting up for a few nights, said it’s easier on the ribs while they heal, so I’ll have to stay here for that. It’s just a fracture, not a full break, so it’ll heal quicker. Don’t have one of these fancy beds in my cell though.” She pushed the buttons on the railing, making the head of the bed raise and lower a few times, then gave a small laugh. “They’re just done poking at me, so Vera went to my cell and got me these. Said I could change if I wanted. I figured I’d feel more like myself if I did. Didn’t realize it would be so hard. Showering should be fun. I couldn’t even get dressed, let alone undressed, showered, and dressed again.”

Bridget sat beside her and took hold of her hand. “Let me see what I can figure out, okay?” Franky nodded. “In the meantime, I thought maybe you could use this.” The blonde reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a chocolate bar.

“Gidge, I could kiss ya!” She reached for the bar and Bridget moved it back. “Come on!” Franky laughed.

Bridget shook her head and tapped the bar on her lips. Franky leaned forward and gently touched her lips to Bridget’s. The blonde knew they were probably tender so she let her girlfriend take the lead. After a couple of seconds, Franky sat back and Bridget handed her the bar. “I’ll be back before I go home.”

Franky nodded her head as she used her good hand and her teeth to open the wrapper.

“I would have opened that for you if I knew you wanted it now.”

“I can’t let myself be completely helpless, Gidge.” Franky winked at her.

“Right, I’ll see you later.” She headed back to her office.

********

After her last session for the day, Bridget left for Vera’s office. She had thought of a way to get Franky the help she needed, as long as she could get her friend on board. The governor saw her approaching through the window and waved her inside.

“How’s Franky doing?” Vera closed the file she was reading.

“She’s feeling better, it seems. Thanks for taking her the clothes. That’s also what I came here to talk to you about.” Bridget sat down in one of the chairs in front of Vera’s desk. “She was trying to put them on when I got there, and she couldn’t. I had to help her get dressed. She can’t move properly because of her rib injury, and she had almost no use or movement of her left arm. She needs a shower. She still has dried blood on her in places.”

“I can’t-“ Vera was cut off by Bridget.

“She needs a shower, and she needs help.” The blonde looked at her, willing her to understand. “Please Vera, I’ll help her, just give us some place safe.”

Vera folded her arms across her chest and sat forward. “I can’t send you into H-block. The officer’s showers could be used at any time, and we’d have to get Franky in and out of the staff lounge unnoticed.” She lifted her eyes and looked at the door on the back wall of her office. “But you could use mine.”

“Wait, you have a shower?” Bridget turned and looked at the door. “I thought that was just….I don’t know what I thought. The door is always closed.”

“It’s a bathroom, and there’s a shower. I’ll have Matt bring her up right after dinner.”

“Thank you, Vera. Really.”

Vera nodded. “I think you and Franky should probably just stop thanking me for awhile. I owe her a lot.” She opened the file in front of her again and Bridget took that as a cue that she wanted to be alone.

********

When Matt brought Franky to Vera’s office, Bridget was already there waiting for her. The brunette entered the office and Vera left with Matt, telling them she’d be back later.

“What’s going on, Gidge?” Franky looked around the office.

“I told you I’d figure out how to get you a shower.” She walked over, and held the door open for Franky to enter the bathroom.

The brunette walked inside and looked around. “This is nice.”

“Mhm. She had them bring up towels for us, and I snuck into your cell and got your toiletry bag and some clean underwear.”

“Us?” Franky turned quickly to look at Bridget.

“Yeah, us. Baby, what’s wrong?” Bridget reached down to hold her hand. Franky looked at their fingers. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to. If you think you’ll be okay on your own, I can just wait outside in case you need something.” Bridget was trying to read Franky’s expression. The brunette wasn’t usually someone to show this side of her, although Bridget had seen it a couple of times. She suspected it was coming out now because she was injured, and feeling more vulnerable than usual.

“No, I want you to stay.” She leaned down and kissed Bridget a little harder than she had earlier that afternoon.

Bridget turned the water on, making sure it was a bit warmer than usual to help relax the brunette’s sore muscles. She let it run while she helped Franky out of her clothes. “Get in, I’ll be right there.”

Franky stepped into the stream of water and let it hit the back of her neck and run down her back. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Bridget undressing. She turned her head to watch her and Bridget looked up, catching her. They both smiled.

The blonde joined her in the shower. “You looked like you just got caught sneaking a peek,” she laughed. “You’re allowed to look. Back up and get your hair wet.”

Franky took a step back and Bridget reached behind her for the bottle of shampoo that was sitting on the shelf. She squeezed some into the palm of her hand.

“Turn around, baby.” Bridget motioned for Franky to turn so she could lather up her hair. The brunette gave her a quick kiss and turned around. “You know,” Bridget said, as she massaged the shampoo into Franky’s hair, “I think maybe that’s your thing.”

“What is?”

“Those small kisses. Those are your way of giving and receiving comfort.” Franky was quiet while Bridget finished washing her hair.

She turned again to face the blonde. “I’ve only done that with you, the kisses like that. They’re not for comfort. They mean ‘I love you’.”

Bridget gave her another kiss, and reached back, this time for the washcloth and body wash. She put some on the cloth, and lathered it up. She started at Franky’s shoulders, rubbing gently, trying not to cause her any pain. The brunette winced when Bridget ran the cloth over her left shoulder and her injured side. She continued working her way down until she reached Franky’s feet.

“How do you feel now?” Bridget asked, standing back up.

“Better, but maybe a bit more achy and sore. If that makes sense.” She wrapped her good arm around Bridget and pulled her close.

“Yeah, it does. This is the most you’ve done since you got hurt. It’s probably soon time for more meds, too.” The blonde pushed a strand of wet hair behind Franky’s ear. “Ready to get dressed?”

Franky shook her head. “The warm water feels good. You feel good.” She smiled and Bridget gave a small laugh. “This is the first shower I’ve shared with someone.”

“Really?” It wasn’t that the blonde didn’t believe her, she was just surprised.

“Yeah, it’s always been my time alone. Kind of my space where I didn’t want anyone else. A lot of times as a kid, when my Mom was pissed, I’d take a shower to get away from her.” Franky rested her forehead against Bridget’s.

They stood there another few minutes, until Franky decided that she was ready to get out. Bridget helped dry her off and get her clothes back on before getting dressed herself. She got the brunette’s toothbrush and toothpaste, and sat them on the counter beside the sink.

“You start on this and I’ll be right back.” She quickly ducked out the door, and checked that no one was around.

She walked quickly over to Vera’s desk and flipped through the files she had left laying out. The one she was looking for wasn’t there. She opened the drawer of the filing cabinet, flicking through the tabs until she found the one she was looking for _‘Francesca Doyle’_. She flipped through the pages, skipping the content on Franky, until she got to the police report. She scanned through it until she found what she wanted_….the victim, Kim Chang, was admitted to St. Vincent’s Hospital for treatment_. She put the file back in the drawer, and went back to help Franky finish up in the bathroom.

********

Bridget sat in her car in the parking lot. She had made sure that Franky was back safely in Medical for the night before she left. Matt was still there, and Will had the night shift again. She knew what she had to do, for Franky, for herself and Emily too, but mostly for Franky and her safety. If she got it right, this would all be over. If she fucked it up, she could end up in Wentworth alongside her girlfriend. She started the car. She had to try.

She hadn’t decided what she was going to say to them at the front desk. She’d have to ask for Kim’s room number. If they asked any questions, she figured she’d just say she was a friend and hope they’d leave it at that. She walked through the main lobby and approached the receptionist.

“Good Evening, how can I help you?” The receptionist greeted Bridget, and she briefly wondered how many times each day she said that line.

“Hi, yes, I’m looking for Kim Chang. Could you tell me which room she’s in?”

“Certainly, just one moment.” The receptionist typed something into the computer while Bridget glanced around the lobby, trying not to seem anxious.

“She’s in 410, on the 4th floor.”

Bridget’s attention snapped back to the woman sitting behind the desk. “Oh….thank you.” She was a bit shocked at how easy that was. She would have thought that there would be visitor restrictions for a patient who was part of an ongoing case. Then again, the police thought they had her attacker locked up already, so maybe they figured she was no longer in any danger.

The ride up in the elevator seemed to take forever. When the doors opened, Bridget followed the signage until she got to room 410. She stood in the doorway, looking in at the woman lying in the bed. The woman who had caused all of the problems in her life for the past few months. It was time to end it. Bridget was tired, Franky was hurt. She wanted her old life back. The one where Franky was home with her every day, and in her bed with her every night. She was done laying awake, worrying if her girlfriend would be safe for another night, or if she was going to wake up with a message on her phone from Vera. She stepped into the room.

Kim turned her head and looked at her. It took her a second to recognize who she was, but she definitely remembered Bridget. “Still got your fancy clothes I see.” She turned her attention back to the TV.

“Well, I came from work. I’m not here to talk about me though. I’m here to talk about Franky.” Bridget sat in the chair beside Kim’s bed.

A smile came across the other woman’s face. “That bitch is exactly where she deserves to be.”

“Is that what you think? That she deserves to be in prison?” Bridget knew this would take every ounce of her self control, but she couldn’t fuck it up.

Kim shrugged.

“Do you know that last night she was beaten pretty severely? She’s in the Medical unit right now. She needs help doing pretty much everything. Do you want to know why she was beaten?” The blonde waited until Kim met her stare. “Because she saved an officer from the same situation. Not just any officer, the governor. She knew that was the one thing that you do not do in prison, and she did it anyway because she couldn’t stand by and just watch it happen.” Bridget leaned forward and rested her forearms on her legs. “You and I both know she’s not responsible for what happened to you in the alley that night.” Kim broke eye contact with the blonde. “You need to tell the cops the truth, or else she’s going down for this, and she’ll spend years in there.”

“Why should I? You just want your girlfriend back home with you so you can say you won.”

Bridget took a deep breath and leaned back. It was time to switch tactics. “You say you love Franky. If you truly love her, you need to let her get on with the life that she wants, the one that makes her happy.”

“Still sounds to me like that’s to your benefit too.” Kim picked up the remote and changed the channel on the TV.

“Okay, don’t do it for me, or even for Franky. How about you do it for a little kid?” Kim looked back over to her. Bridget had her attention again. “That little girl, she loves Franky a lot. She asks every day when she’s coming back. You thought she was my daughter, but she’s not. She’s my niece. I was looking after her while her father was away. Her mother died recently, and she’s been having a hard time with it. She bonded with Franky though. You should see them together, Em’s like her old self. If you think the life you’re taking away from Franky is her old life of partying and women, you couldn’t be more wrong. I understand that you were hurt when she told you that she didn’t want to continue with you. I get it, really. Ask yourself though, is it worth her possibly getting killed? That’s very well what could happen if she stays in there. She’ll be stuck in there with those women who came after her, and they only stopped this time because an officer showed up. Maybe next time she’s not so lucky. Is it worth taking her from a child who thinks she’s pretty much a superhero in her eyes? I can’t tell you what to do, but I will tell you that I don’t think you’re a bad person. I think you know what’s the right thing to do here.”

Kim was silent, staring down at her hands that were resting on the blanket covering her bed. Bridget was done, she’d said all she could, and it was out of her hands now. She stood up and walked to the door. She managed to hold it together until she was out of the room then the tears ran down her face. If this didn’t work, if she hadn’t gotten through to her, there was no way Franky was coming home any time soon.


	25. Chapter 25

Bridget was sitting with Franky in Medical the next morning when Vera arrived.

“Good morning,” she greeted them both. “The, uh, Detectives are on their way now to talk to you,” she looked at Franky. “They called maybe thirty minutes ago. One of the officers is bringing them in from reception now.”

Bridget went to get up to leave, and Franky reached out for her hand, motioning for her to sit back down on the bed. “I want you to stay.”

The blonde wasn’t sure what the protocol was in this situation. Technically, as the prison psych, an inmate could request that she be present at any interview or meeting, but this was different. She was involved in the case on a personal level, and the detectives knew that, because they had interviewed her. The fact that Franky had been arrested in Bridget’s house meant their relationship was in the open from the start.

“I think it’s fine, unless they object to it.” Vera could see Bridget’s hesitation at Franky’s request. “They already know you work here, and that you two are in a relationship.” The blonde sat back down on the bed. The Governor had a bad feeling. Detective Anders had told her they would be coming to file charges either today or tomorrow, and they seemed to be right on schedule. If that’s why they were here, she was glad that Franky wouldn’t be alone when she heard the news.

The officer arrived with the Detectives and Vera signaled for them to come inside.

“Good morning, Governor, Ms. Westfall, Ms Doyle.” Detective Lewis greeted each of them. He looked at Franky, seemingly assessing her condition. “The Governor informed us of the incident the other night. I hope you’re on your way to a full recovery.”

“Yeah, I feel like a million bucks.” Franky’s sarcasm was still well intact, even if she wasn’t feeling the best physically. Bridget discreetly tapped her on the leg, reminding her that it was in her best interest to cooperate with these people.

“Yes, well, this won’t take long. We got a call from Ms. Chang late last night.” Detective Lewis began. Vera, who had been looking at a point on the floor, snapped her head up. This visit was about something new. The detective continued, “She wanted to revise her statement. Said she needed to ‘do the right thing’, to quote her exact words. She told us what really happened that night. It seems that when she ran into the alley, someone grabbed her and pulled her into one of the buildings. That’s why you couldn’t find her. She says the man beat her after she refused to give him what he wanted, then must have thrown her back outside, where she was found by the eyewitness. She says she never saw you after she left your car, and at that time she was very much unharmed.”

Vera, Bridget, and Franky all wore looks of shock. Bridget couldn’t believe her plan had worked. She thought for sure that she hadn’t gotten through to Kim last night.

Franky was the first who spoke, “So what does that mean?”

“As far as we’re concerned, you’re free to go.” Detective Anders spoke up. “As soon as Governor Bennett can get the paperwork processed, you’ll be able to go home.”

“Usually takes about twenty-four hours.” Vera said quietly, still in shock.

“Right, well, we’re all done here.” Detective Lewis stated. He handed Vera a file folder. “This should be everything you need from us to get her release processed.”

The two detectives exited the room, and the officer who had escorted them in, led them back out to the entrance. The three stayed in silence for a moment.

Vera rested her hand gently on Franky’s injured shoulder, “I’m really happy for you. For both of you.” She exchanged smiles with each of the women. “I’m going to go get started on this,” she said, holding up the folder the detective had given her. She stopped just past the end of Franky’s bed and turned back to Bridget. “And after you’re done here, go home. I don’t want to see you in here for at least a week.” She turned and continued on, pulling the curtain closed around Franky’s bed on her way out.

“Holy fuck, Gidge. I thought I was so fucked just then. I was just waiting for them to tell me they were charging me.” Bridget looked over and saw the tears streaming down her girlfriend’s face. She gently wiped them away with the backs of her fingers. “I want to come home.”

“Tomorrow, baby,” She leaned down, and gave Franky a soft, but long kiss. “I’m going to go out right after I leave here, and pick up some things to have ready when I bring you home.” The brunette gave her a questioning look. “Heat packs, ice packs, pain relievers, just stuff like that.”

Franky nodded and pulled her back in for another kiss. “Can we just do this all day tomorrow? I reckon it would keep my mind off the pain.”

Bridget gave a small laugh. “You need to rest, baby.” She gave her another kiss. “I’ll be back to take you home, okay?” Franky nodded, and Bridget left to do her errands.

********

Bridget had picked up everything she could think of that Franky could possibly need to be comfortable for the first few days. She planned to take her to her apartment at some point too to pick up more clothes that were easy for her to get on and off with one arm. Nothing with buttons or snaps. She also picked up a bunch of groceries to restock her fridge and cabinets. Her cooking had been minimal while the brunette had been away, and she knew Franky would want some real food when she got home. Even though she wasn’t much of a cook, she figured that Franky could at least walk her through some of the meal prep.

She decided to browse through some of the smaller shops. She wanted to get Franky something as a sort of ‘welcome back home’ gift. The blonde had no idea what it would be, but she felt like she’d know it when she saw it. She wandered into a shop that looked to specialize in handmade jewelry. She looked at everything laid out in the cases, and was about to give up when something caught her eye. It was a necklace with a small silver kite charm on it, with a piece of red string for the tails of the kite.

“That’s one of my favourites,” a voice came from the door behind the counter as an elderly lady emerged from the back room of the shop.

“Do you make all of these?” Bridget asked.

“Oh yes. It started out as a hobby and eventually grew into this. I’ve had this shop almost fifty years now.”

“Why is this one of your favourites?” Bridget had always loved knowing the stories behind the things that people created.

“I got the idea for it one day when I was sitting in the park. There were some kids flying kites, and I just thought they looked so happy and carefree. So I guess it kind of represents freedom to me.”

“Freedom…” Bridget thought for a moment. “I’ll take it.”

“Good choice, you won’t regret it.” The lady smiled at the blonde and placed the necklace into a box for her.

Bridget left the shop, excited to give Franky the gift tomorrow. 

********

It was late in the evening and Franky was preparing to spend another night in the uncomfortable hospital bed. She was technically cleared to go back to her unit, but Vera felt that Medical was a safer spot for her. Since no other prisoners needed to be there that night, the governor had decided to leave her there until her release. Will had just come on shift, and was talking to Matt. It had been an uneventful day in the prison, so she figured they were probably just chatting about the latest football match or something. Will was her favorite guard to have with her. The others just sat in the chair outside the door and barely spoke to her. Will would bring a chair in, sit beside her bed, and talk with her until he noticed her getting tired, then he’d leave to let her rest. Today, he came in, but didn’t look like he intended to stay very long.

“Hey Franky, Vera wants to see you. Said to make sure you brought all your personal things with you from here.”

Franky tried to read his expression, but failed. “Is something wrong?”

“I don’t think so. She just asked me to bring you up to see her.” He grabbed a plastic bag from one of the supply shelves, and helped her place her few extra clothes inside. She reached out to take it from him, but he just shook his head. “I got it. Let’s go.”

When they arrived at Vera’s office, she was standing in front of her desk, leaning back against it. Franky could see a box, labelled with her name sitting on the desk beside her. When she had been brought in, they had made her put all of her personal items other than what she was wearing, into that box, and said she would get them back when she was released. Will swiped his card and held the door open so Franky could enter the room.

“How are you feeling tonight?” It was always the first question that Vera asked her now.

“Alright, I guess.” She looked at the box sitting on the desk. “A little curious as to what’s going on.”

A small smile came across Vera’s face. “You’re going home.”

Franky looked at her. “Yeah I know. In the morning. Bridget’s coming to get me.”

“No. You’re going home now. I pushed your paperwork through. I don’t want you here any longer than absolutely necessary. The only way I can one hundred percent guarantee your safety is if you’re not here.” She waited while the brunette processed what she’d just heard.

“But…” she looked to Will then to Vera. “Bridget isn’t coming until the morning. I haven’t packed my things from my cell.”

“I went to your cell and packed up your belongings. Including your phone.” She gave Franky a look, and the brunette grinned sheepishly. “And, I’ll drive you home. I just need you to look through the box and sign this form saying that everything was returned to you, and then we can leave.”

Franky didn’t even open the box. She really didn’t care if all of her clothes were in there or not. She picked up the pen and signed the form. “Let’s go.”

Will picked up the box and followed Franky and Vera out to Vera’s car. He sat it on the back seat for her.

“Thanks for everything Will.” She reached out with her good arm, and he gave her a gentle hug, careful not to bother any of her injuries. “Come by and visit us, okay?”

He nodded, “Yeah, okay.”

The drive to Bridget’s house was relatively quiet. Franky could tell that Vera wasn’t quite comfortable around her ever since the incident in Bridget’s office. The brunette wasn’t mad at her, she was just disappointed and hurt.

“Franky…” Vera began, and Franky turned to look at her. The governor just shook her head, indicating that she had changed her mind and didn’t want to say anything.

“Does Bridget know you’re bringing me there tonight?” Franky asked to break the silence.

“No, I wanted to surprise her.” Vera gave a small smile, and glanced at the brunette before turning her attention back to the road.

They pulled up in front of Bridget’s house, and Vera parked the car. As they walked up the path, Franky looked in through the window. The blonde was sitting on the couch, working on her laptop and something was playing on the TV. Franky looked to see if Emily was there, and was a bit disappointed not to see her inside. She reasoned though that it would be good to have a few more days to rest and heal before she saw her. Franky didn’t want her to be upset when she saw the bruises on her face, and until her shoulder healed a bit more, she wouldn’t be able to do much with her besides watch movies.

Vera stepped up and knocked on the front door while Franky stood to the side so that Bridget wouldn’t see her when she opened it.

“You go in first.” Franky whispered, and Vera gave a small nod.

“Hey, Vera. Is everything alright?” It wasn’t that it was uncommon for her friend to stop by, but with everything that had been going on lately, Bridget was worried that something bad had happened at the prison.

“Yeah, everything’s fine. I just thought I’d drop by on my way home.”

“Sure, come in,” Bridget smiled. “I just put the kettle on.”

Vera sat down on the couch, and Bridget set a second mug out on the counter. The kettle would take another couple of minutes to boil, so the blonde took a seat on the couch opposite her friend.

Franky glanced in the window and saw that they had sat down on the couch. She turned the handle, and slowly opened the door. She stepped in and closed it behind her, doing her best to be as silent as possible. She walked softly through the entryway, and came to a stop just past the end of the wall.

“You’d better put out a third mug.”

Bridget’s head snapped up, and she locked eyes with the brunette who was now standing in her living room. Vera looked from one to the other as a big grin broke out on Franky’s face, and the blonde was still trying to process what was going on.

“Franky…” Bridget stood, still just looking at her. “But how?...”

“The Gov decided to spring me out early.” Franky’s grin grew wider. She held open her uninjured arm. The other one had been put in a sling now that she was up and moving around more, in order to keep it stable.

The blonde stepped to her and carefully wrapped her arms around her, burying her head in her neck. Franky put her arm around her holding her close. The brunette looked over to Vera, who had a huge smile on her face.

“I think I’m going to take off now. Thanks for the offer of tea, but I really just came to bring Franky home, and you two need some time together.” Vera put her hand on each of their shoulders on the way out. “I’ll bring your things in from the car too.”

“Vera,” Franky turned a bit to face her, “Thank you for this. Really.” They exchanged small nods.

After Vera had brought in her things and left again, Franky broke the quiet. “Do you want me to make you that tea?” She felt the blonde shake her head. “Okay, you want to sit on the couch for a bit?”

The blonde picked her head up. “I just want to lay in bed with you.”

“Okay, babe.” Franky took her shoes off, leaving them by the door, and made sure it was locked before following Bridget to the bedroom.

The blonde had gathered some extra pillows from the spare beds and put them on Franky’s side, so that she would be able to sit more upright. The doctor had told her it would probably be about a week before she could comfortably lie down to sleep again. Bridget helped her change out of her clothes, and into her pyjamas, then got her settled under the blankets. She changed her own clothes and grabbed the small box off her dresser before settling in beside the brunette. Franky lifted her good arm, allowing Bridget to curl into her side.

“I went shopping today after I left the prison, and I got you something.” Bridget sat the small box on top of the covers in Franky’s lap. “Don’t worry, it’s not a ring,” she laughed, mimicking the words Franky had said when she gave the blonde her star necklace on her birthday.

Franky gave a small chuckle. “Open it for me?”

Bridget opened the box and held it up so Franky could see it. “The woman who owns the shop makes all the jewelry they sell there. She said this represented freedom, so I thought it would be perfect to give you when you got to come home.”

“I love it, Gidge.” Franky lowered her head and gave the blonde a kiss. “Thank you.”

“I think it suits you.” Bridget helped her sit forward a bit so she could fasten it around her neck for her.

Franky leaned back and settled in. She put her arm out again so that Bridget could lay against her, but the blonde didn’t move. It looked to Franky like she was trying to decide something. After a couple seconds, she moved up the bed more, so that she was in the same half-sitting position as the brunette. Bridget reached out and cupped Franky’s cheek, pulling her in for a kiss at the same time she carefully moved her body to rest ever so slightly on Franky’s ‘good’ side. Luckily, in this case anyway, the brunette’s injured rib and shoulder were both on her left side.

“Is this okay?” She asked quietly when they broke apart. Franky nodded. “I’m not hurting you?”

“No.” Franky shook her head as she connected their lips again.

They shared slow, lazy kisses, just enjoying being near each other again without worrying who might see them, or being on a time limit, until they were ready to fall asleep. Bridget moved back down a bit and melted into Franky’s side again. She fell asleep quickly for the first time in weeks.

********

The next morning Franky awoke early to a throbbing pain in her shoulder. At some point during the night she had moved so she wasn’t sitting completely upright anymore, and the new position had put a strain on her arm. She tried to carefully move herself away from Bridget so she could get out of bed, but one of her movements made her gasp and stiffen a bit, and the blonde was immediately awake.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Bridget put her hand on Franky’s back, helping her to sit up.

“Ah! I think I just slept wrong.” She turned to sit on the edge of the bed.

Bridget went to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom and grabbed a couple of pain relievers for the brunette. “Here, take these.” She handed the pills to Franky, with a glass of water. “How about a warm shower too while those kick in?”

“Yeah, I think that would help.” Franky slowly got up off the bed and into the bathroom.

She let Bridget help her get undressed, and help her again in the shower to get washed. The hot water felt good on her shoulder, and about halfway through, Franky could feel the pain relievers starting to work. The blonde could feel her girlfriend’s body start to relax, and she spent some extra time rubbing her back to work out the knots.

After their shower, Franky talked Bridget through how to make waffles for their breakfast. It worked out pretty well, but they could both see that when they tried the more complicated recipes, it was going to take some extra patience on both their parts.

They spent the morning with Bridget doing stuff around the house, and Franky relaxing on the couch, occasionally getting up to wander around when she needed to stretch and move. After lunch, the brunette decided that she was going to lay outside on the patio in one of the lounge chairs. It had turned into a warm afternoon, and she was tired of being inside.

Bridget was doing some work on her laptop when there was a knock at the door. She opened it to find Vera standing there.

“Hey, come in.” Bridget stepped back so her friend could enter the house. “You’re off early today.”

“Yeah, I’ve got a bunch of overtime saved up, so I figured I should use some. I popped home and had some lunch and got changed then I figured I’d stop by here.” Vera looked around the kitchen and living room, then glanced down the hall.

“Is everything alright?” Bridget asked, concerned that Vera was acting a bit off.

“Yeah, I just, uh, came to talk to Franky, actually. Is she here?”

“She’s out on the patio.” Bridget tilted her head towards the large sliding glass windows. “Come on.” Bridget started to walk towards the patio door.

“If she’s asleep, I can come back another time.” Vera took a couple quick steps to catch up with Bridget.

The blonde stepped out onto the patio, and Franky turned her head to look at her. “She’s awake,” she called back into the house. “Vera’s here to see you, baby.” Franky nodded, and Bridget moved a chair over beside the brunette for Vera to sit in. She sensed that this wasn’t strictly a social visit, so she went back inside, closed the door, and continued on with her work.

Vera took a seat in the chair. “How are you feeling?”

“A bit better actually. Being out of that place is enough on it’s own to help.” She glanced at the other woman. “No offense.”

“None taken.” Vera gave a small laugh. “The officers feel the same way too most days, trust me.” She paused and took a deep breath. “I didn’t just come here to check up on you. I owe you a huge thank you that I will probably never be able to repay, and an apology that I don’t even know where to start with. So first of all, thank you again for saving me that night. I don’t know how that would have ended if you hadn’t shown up. I had been horrible to you, and you didn’t even think twice about helping me and putting yourself at risk. Look where it got you.” She motioned to Franky’s injured shoulder and bruised face.

“You’re welcome, but you don’t have to keep thanking me for that. You already said it, and you gave us that room for the night, which you didn’t have to do, but it was a really nice gesture. If you need to hear me say it, then I’ll say it; we’re even, okay?” Franky waited until Vera looked her in the eye and acknowledged her statement with a nod.

Vera leaned forward and studied the pattern on one of the patio stones. “I still owe you an apology though. I don’t know how to start.”

“Just say whatever comes to mind. I’ll listen.” Franky gave her a small smile to reassure her. She knew what this was about, and she had some things she needed to say to Vera as well. It wouldn’t be easy for either of them, but she knew in the end it would be okay.

“I’m sorry that I read your file then made those assumptions about you. I should have known better. The reason I got into corrections was because I believed that everyone deserves a second chance, the benefit of the doubt, and I wanted to help them get those. I work every day to give those things to strangers, and then when it involves someone I know, I couldn’t do it. I’ve known you for months, and never questioned anything about you. Then I let some words on a piece of paper speak louder than all your actions. I know it’s going to take time for us to be in a good place again, if it’s even possible at all, and I know that’s my fault, but I’d very much like to get back to how things were someday.” Vera wiped away a tear that was running down her cheek.

“It’s possible.” Franky looked over towards Vera. “I’m not mad at you, I never was, really. I was hurt. Probably a bit disappointed too. I know what my file looks like, and it doesn’t look good. I would understand if some random cop or case worker looked at it and said the things about me that you did, but it really hurt when I heard you say them. When they came from someone who knows me, someone I care about. I’d been nothing but nice to you, and right then, it didn’t matter. What hurt even more though, was that you implied that you thought I would hurt Bridget, or Em. There’s absolutely nothing in my file that indicates I have ever laid a hand on anyone I was in any kind of relationship with. I would never do that. And I would never, ever hurt a child. I lived that kind of life as a kid, getting hit, burnt, screamed at. I would never make a kid go through that. Even if you didn’t trust me, you should have trusted Bridget’s judgement. She’s a strong woman, she would never let anyone hurt her or Em.” The brunette thought she saw a flicker of something in Vera’s eyes. “She would have gotten rid of me, of anyone, so fucking fast if they tried anything like that.” She paused and took a deep breath. “So yes, it might take awhile, but we can get back to how we were. You’re still a friend, Vera, and I don’t hold grudges. As far as I’m concerned, after today we’ve both said what we need to say, and we can move on from this.” She waited while Vera wiped her cheeks dry. “Okay?”

Vera nodded, and Franky stood up, holding open her good arm. The other woman stood as well, and Franky pulled her in for a hug. Vera wrapped her arms gently around the tall brunette, and they stood there for a few seconds, letting everything that was said sink in. Bridget glanced up from her laptop to see her girlfriend and best friend in a warm embrace. She knew Franky appreciated honesty, and the ability for someone to admit when they had fucked up. She was forgiving. As she continued to watch them, she knew they were on the way to making things right between them again.

********

Franky and Bridget laid in bed that night, the brunette propped up on the extra pillows again, and Bridget against her side. The blonde had suggested that maybe Franky could try sleeping on the couch, or they could bring one of the lounge chairs in off the patio, so that she wouldn’t move and be in an uncomfortable position by the morning. The brunette quickly put an end to the idea though, saying that she wanted to sleep in the bed with Bridget.

“Did you and Vera have a good talk?” Bridget asked. Franky had seemed a bit calmer since Vera had left and the blonde suspected that she had gotten some things off her chest during their conversation.

“Yeah, we did. I think we both got out what we needed to.” Franky took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“She came to the house the day after you helped her. She felt so bad, Franky. She knew that you were in trouble, and that she’d been horrible to you.” Bridget played with the kite charm on Franky’s necklace.

“I was never mad at her. I told her that today. I told her we’d be okay again. I’m going to make her dance with me again.” They both smiled, remembering the night at the bar.

“She really liked that you did that, and she told me what you said to her, it was very sweet.”

Franky just smiled down at Bridget, then her face turned serious again. “You know what bothered me most about what she said that day?” The blonde shook her head. “She thought that you weren’t safe with me. That I’d hurt you or Em. I want you to know, I would never do that. I’ve never hit anyone I was with or any kids. I told her not to worry ‘cause you’d never tolerate that shit anyway.”

Bridget was quiet for a moment before she spoke. “I never thought I would.”

“What?” Franky sat up a bit more so that she could see Bridget’s face better. “What do you mean?”

The blonde re-positioned herself so that she could lay her head on her girlfriend’s chest. “There was someone I used to be with. We were serious, together for almost 5 years. One day, we got in an argument and she hit me. Right across the face, just bam; I never saw it coming. We both just kind of looked at each other. She broke down and started to cry. She said she was under all this pressure at work and she’d had a meeting that day that had gone to shit, then when she came home we argued and she just lost it. She said it was like she could see herself doing it, but she wasn’t in control of her body. She promised it would never happen again, and I believed her. I forgave her. I knew all the things that people like that say, and what I tell the abuse victims that I counsel, and I still couldn’t take my own advice. Vera saw the bruise on my face. I tried to make up an excuse and cover it with make up, but she knew what had happened. Things seemed okay after that for the most part except for the fact that she hated Em. She was maybe two at the time, and she and her parents would come for a visit, and my ex wanted nothing to do with her. She just complained about how noisy and messy she was. She’d never come out anywhere with us. One day, about three years ago, we got in another pretty big argument. She drew her fist back again and I just stood and stared right at her. She stopped, she never hit me, but I knew she had come close. That was the end of it. We were done after that. Trust me, I’ve learned my lesson. It was a huge wake-up call for me. I wanted you to know that that’s what triggered that part of what Vera said about you. It doesn’t excuse it, because you are nothing like she was, but in her mind, she was being protective of me and Em.”

Franky wished she had the use of both arms right now. She didn’t know what to say, and she felt like she couldn’t hold Bridget close enough. The blonde could feel her girlfriend’s body shaking. She lifted her head and looked into the brunette’s eyes. The normally clear green colour had turned stormy. She knew Franky was probably feeling a mixture of emotions right now, mostly anger and sadness.

“Baby, I’m okay. I promise.” She leaned in and gave Franky one of her own ‘I love you’ kisses. “I’m so fucking glad I met you.” The blonde gave her another kiss. “Okay?”

“Okay.” Franky took a deep breath. “Okay.”

“You good, baby?” Bridget waited until Franky looked at her.

“I’m good.” The brunette nodded. “I love you, Gidge.”

“I love you too.” After a couple more kisses, Bridget laid back down beside Franky, and they fell asleep.


	26. Chapter 26

“Hey, baby,” Bridget walked out onto the patio to join Franky in the warm afternoon sun. The brunette had taken to spending most afternoons outside. If the weather was good, she’d sit in one of the lounge chairs out back. If it was rainy, she’d usually sit under the covered seating area around the side. “Tim just called, he has to work late tonight, and he wants us to pick Em up from school this afternoon.”

“Ay, sounds great!” Franky’s face lit up. She’d been out of Wentworth for almost a week, but she hadn’t seen the little girl yet. Bridget had suggested that they not tell Emily that Franky was out right away. She reasoned that the brunette needed her rest, and even though Emily was a great kid, all kids take energy to entertain and look after, and she didn’t want Franky to overdo it, and set back her recovery. The brunette had to agree that her girlfriend was probably right, but fate had thrown her an opportunity today. “I’ll walk down and pick her up when it’s time. It’s just down the road, and I need to get out and move around for a bit.”

About an hour later, Bridget helped Franky change into a clean shirt and trackies, and she left for the school. Her shoulder was healing nicely but she still had trouble lifting her arm very high, and her ribs were feeling much better, only really hurting when she coughed or sneezed. Bridget had tied her hair back for her as well. She hated not being able to look after herself, but she was thankful that Bridget was the one helping her. The blonde never made her feel like she was helpless or weak, and she was good at anticipating what Franky needed, and just doing it rather than making the brunette ask for everything.

It took her less than ten minutes to reach the school, and when she got there, she joined the group of parents waiting for their kids. Most of them were the typical upper middle class moms and dads, all dressed nicely, and most of the women had their hair and makeup done. Bridget lived in a nice neighbourhood, and Franky felt a bit out of place. She could feel some eyes on her and she tried to tell herself that it was just because she was new to them, and not because they were judging her. Thankfully, she only had to wait a few minutes before she saw the kids start to come out of the building.

As soon as Emily saw her she started running towards her. Franky crouched down, and put out her good arm to give her a hug. When the young girl noticed that the brunette’s arm was in a sling, she stopped running, and slowly walked up to her.

“You’re hurt,” she said, looking at Franky’s arm from her hand up to her shoulder.

“Yeah, bub. I had an accident, but I’m okay. I’m feeling better now except my shoulder is sore.” Franky watched Emily as she took it all in. After a moment, the young girl stepped forward and put her arms around the brunette’s neck. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” Emily said.

“Your Dad has to work late, so he asked if you could come to our place for supper. How does that sound?” Emily gave an enthusiastic nod.

While she had been talking with the young girl, Franky had seen one of the other kid’s mothers coming towards them. She greeted her as she stood up, “Hey.”

The woman looked at her, then at the tattoos on both of her arms. Franky could feel the judgmental vibe coming off of her the second she’d laid eyes on her. The woman ignored the brunette’s greeting and turned to Emily instead.

“Emily, darling, who’s this?” She asked in a sweet voice.

“Franky.” Emily stated simply.

“Yes, but who is ‘Franky’? The woman asked her, taking another glance in the brunette’s direction. Emily shrugged.

Franky figured that Emily didn’t really know what to call her. To her she was simply ‘Franky’. Of course the child knew that she was her aunt’s girlfriend, but that didn’t give her a specific title in her life.

“Is she a friend of your aunt?” The woman asked. The brunette knew exactly what this woman was getting at. If she had come here dressed up like them, no one would have looked at her twice.

Emily started to nod her head when Franky jumped in, “Yeah, I am. I’m banging her actually,” the brunette said with a wink.

The woman’s jaw dropped open, and Emily just had a blank look on her face. Franky had guessed, and was glad she was right, that the child didn’t know what that meant.

The brunette looked down at the young girl. “You ready to go home?” Emily nodded and took Franky’s hand, and they began their walk home.

After a minute Emily spoke, “She didn’t like you.”

“She just didn’t know me and she wanted to make sure you weren’t leaving with a stranger.” Franky was constantly amazed at how perceptive the young girl was. Emily was right in her statement about her classmate’s mother, but the brunette wasn’t ready to have a conversation with her about stereotypes and prejudices, so she opted for a half truth.

When they arrived at the house, Emily ran in and greeted Bridget with a hug. “Hey, love, how was school?”

“We learned about volcanoes!” She took off her school bag and produced a piece of paper, handing it to Bridget.

The blonde looked over it quickly. It was instructions for making a paper mâché volcano that erupted with lava made from mixing baking soda and vinegar. Bridget remembered when Tim had made one of these as a kid. He had miscalculated the amount of both ingredients for the lava and ended up covering the entire kitchen table with foam that then spilled onto the floor. Their mother was not impressed. “You going to ask your Dad to help you with this? I remember he made one when he wasn’t much older than you.”

Emily nodded. “Yeah, we each have to make one and take it to school in two weeks.”

“Make sure you let your Dad know soon, okay? So that you have lots of time.” Bridget put the paper back in her bag.

“Can I show Franky the pictures from the aquarium?” Emily had picked up Bridget’s iPad from the coffee table.

“If she feels up to it. Ask her though, okay?” The young girl nodded. Bridget hoped that Franky would say ‘no’ if she needed to rest.

“Franky!” Emily ran up to the tall brunette who was pouring them drinks in the kitchen. “Can I show you the pictures from when me and Auntie Bridge went to the aquarium?”

“Sure, bub. Here, this is for you.” She handed her a glass of water. “We’ll sit on the couch.”

Franky made sure that Emily sat on her right side. She knew the child would try to be careful, but she could also see that she was excited to talk about their day trip, and she didn’t want her to accidentally bump into her shoulder.

Once they had been through all the pictures, it was time to make supper.

“What do you want for supper, Em?” Bridget was standing, looking into the fridge, hoping that a meal idea would jump out at her.

“Omelettes with Franky!”

“Omelettes wi-“ The blonde was confused for a second. “Ohhh, you want to make them with Franky?” Emily nodded her head enthusiastically.

Franky still wasn’t doing very much of the cooking aside from talking Bridget through the recipes. “How about the three of us make them together?” the brunette asked.

Bridget and Emily gathered all the ingredients while Franky turned on the stove and got the pans warming up. Bridget chopped up some vegetables and leftover ham she had from making sandwiches and the brunette was having Emily crack open the eggs, beat them, and add the salt and pepper.

They worked in relative quiet until Emily asked a question. “Auntie Bridge?”

“Yes, love?”

“Is Franky your girlfriend?” She cracked another egg into the bowl.

“She is. Remember we had a talk about that awhile ago?” Bridget moved on from chopping up the veggies and ham to shredding some cheese.

“But that’s not what she told Owen’s mother today.”

Warning bells started going off in Franky’s head. She tried to say calm, but she knew what was coming. She willed anything to happen right now to stop Emily from finishing her story.

“What did she tell Owen’s mother?” Bridget thought that maybe Franky wasn’t sure how accepting the other parents would be of a lesbian couple, so she just said she was a friend or something like that.

“She said she was banging you.”

Bridget sat down the grater and the piece of cheese and gave Franky a look that the brunette was pretty sure was meant to kill her.

“Gid-” The blonde held up her hand, signalling Franky to stop talking.

“Auntie Bridge?” The girl was still waiting for an answer.

Bridget had to think about how she was going to answer, but not answer, her niece’s question. “The way that Franky used that word isn’t right, okay? A bang means a loud sound, and that’s how you use it. She made a mistake. Understand?” Emily nodded. “And from now on if someone asks who Franky is, she’s my girlfriend.”

Emily thought for a moment then shrugged. “Everyone makes mistakes, it’s okay, Franky.” She went back to adding the salt and pepper to the eggs.

Franky gave Bridget a ‘see, it’s all good’ look, but the blonde didn’t crack a smile. She walked past Franky to put the cheese back in the fridge. “We’ll talk later,” she said quietly as she passed.

The conversation at the supper table was uncharacteristically sparse. Franky knew she had fucked up. As much as she loved having Emily around, tonight, she just wanted to clear the air with Bridget, and that couldn’t happen while the child was still there. She was glad Tim had said he’d be there right after supper to pick her up.

********

Emily had left and Franky was helping to put away the last of the dishes from their meal when she decided that they might as well get this over with.

“Gid-”

“Franky, you can’t just say stuff like that in front of her!” Bridget interrupted.

“I know, I’m sorry. You should have seen the way that snotty bitch was looking at me though. Like I was trash. She was questioning Em like I was some stranger coming to take her away!”

“Okay, but Franky, to them, you are a stranger. It doesn’t excuse her other behaviour though, and trust me, I know what they can be like.” Bridget had no doubt that what Franky was saying was exactly what had happened. She’d seen them do it to other parents who didn’t fit their expectations.

“I just wanted to get a reaction out of her. I figured Em wouldn’t know what it meant, so no harm done.”

“She didn’t! That’s why she asked.” Bridget took a deep breath. “From now on, just don’t say stuff like that in front of her, alright? If she doesn’t already know what it means, she’s going to ask. She’s too curious to just let it drop. She doesn’t need to know, and I don’t want to explain it to her.”

“Okay, I’m sorry, Gidge. I really am.” Franky was truly upset. She had reacted without thinking.

The blonde’s expression softened. “I would have loved to see her face though.” She gave a small chuckle.

“Ah Gidge, it was the best! Her mouth just dropped open! Shut her right up!” Franky laughed remembering the scene.

********

It was the first night that Franky decided to try laying down to sleep since she had injured her shoulder. She’d forgotten how much she had missed sleeping like a normal person. Her and Bridget had talked more that evening, and had worked things out.

The blonde was currently changing out of her clothes, and into her sleepwear. She had chosen a pair of underwear, and an old t-shirt that belonged to Franky. The brunette had always loved it when girls wore her clothes. Bridget lifted the covers and climbed in. She moved in next to Franky as close as she could. The blonde leaned on her elbow and looked down at her girlfriend. She lowered her head and gave Franky a long, slow kiss, gently biting the other woman’s bottom lip as she pulled back. The brunette smiled, and Bridget laid her head on her chest and hooked a leg over Franky’s right one.

The brunette let her right hand trail up and down the older woman’s back. She could feel Bridget shift against her every once in a while. “You’re turned on tonight babe, aren’t you?”

“Maybe,” the blonde gave a small laugh. “Yeah. It’s been a long month, other than the night Vera gave us a room.”

Franky laughed. “You can’t tell me you didn’t do anything all those nights you were lying here alone.”

Bridget picked her head up to look at the brunette. “Well, yeah, of course I did, but it’s not the same.”

Franky smirked. “Wish I could have seen that.”

The blonde raised herself up on her elbow again then dipped her head, leaving small kisses along Franky’s jaw until she reached her ear. “Well…” she whispered. “You could see it now.” Franky was right, Bridget was turned on, but she also knew that the brunette wasn’t feeling physically up to doing their usual activities yet. She thought maybe this could be a fun compromise.

Franky turned her head to look at her girlfriend. “You want to show me?” Her eyes trailed down the blonde’s body.

Bridget sat up so she was kneeling on her side of the bed. She reached down to the hem of her shirt and pulled it off over her head, discarding it on the bed behind her. “Sure.” She gave a mischievous smile. “I have one rule though.”

Franky reached up and ran her fingers down the blonde’s side, letting her hand come to rest on her girlfriend’s hip. “And what’s that?”

Bridget took the brunette’s hand and moved it off her hip and back onto the bed. “You don’t get to touch me.”

The blonde flattened her hand against her own stomach and slid it into her underwear. She saw Franky’s gaze follow her fingers, watching them move under the thin fabric. Her eyes fluttered closed as she brushed over a particularly sensitive spot. When she opened them, she saw the brunette was still fixated on her.

“Is this punishment for me saying I was banging you today?” Franky gave a small smirk.

Bridget leaned forward and placed her free hand on the pillow beside the brunette’s head for support. “No, baby,” she said, lowering her head to brush her lips ever so slightly against Franky’s. She let out a small moan as her fingers continued their slow movement on her. She heard the brunette draw in a deep breath and hold it for a second before letting it out slowly. Bridget knew her girlfriend was trying to calm herself. Not being able to touch the blonde would be torture for her.

Bridget raised herself up, removing her hand from inside her underwear. She turned and laid down on her back a couple of inches away from Franky as the brunette carefully re-positioned herself onto her side, so she could fully see her. The blonde locked eyes with her girlfriend and hooked her thumbs on each side of her underwear, pulling them down and off over her feet. She tossed them towards Franky, hitting her in the chest and breaking her out of her stare. The brunette gave a small giggle.

Franky watched as Bridget closed her eyes and lazily trailed her left hand down her body. She saw the blonde run her fingers over her clit before letting them dip in between her folds. The brunette smiled to herself, as she thought back to the day in Bridget’s office when she had her handcuffed against the door. That exact same movement had elicited a very nice response from the blonde, and now Franky knew that it was because she had discovered something that Bridget liked to do to herself.

The blonde moved her right hand to squeeze her own breast and lightly pinch her nipple. She had her eyes closed but she could hear Franky breathing beside her, and felt her inch closer. Bridget let her mind replay their night in the conjugal room at Wentworth, the night of her birthday, the time when Franky had sat her on the counter and made her confess one of her fantasies. She could feel the muscles in her body start to tighten, and she focused on the subtle sounds that were coming from the brunette beside her. She knew that if she opened her eyes, she would probably see that there was less than an inch of space between them on the bed now.

Franky watched Bridget’s body. She knew how to read her by now and she could tell that it wouldn’t be much longer before the blonde reached her release. Franky saw her hips rising slightly to meet her fingers and heard the hitches in her breath as she moved them in and out of herself. The brunette felt like her body was on fire, but she felt no pain at the moment, probably too distracted and driven by hormones for her brain to register any other sensations.

The brunette needed to touch her. Not necessarily with her hand, but she needed to feel some kind of connection to her. She dipped her head and placed a light kiss on Bridget’s shoulder. The blonde opened her eyes slightly and looked at her girlfriend.

Franky wore a small grin on her face. “Couldn’t help it.”

Bridget gave a small shake of her head. She moved the hand that was currently massaging her breast, and reached up to place it behind Franky’s head, tangling her fingers through the brunette’s hair. She pulled her in for a kiss and quickly got lost in the feeling of Franky’s lips on hers. The blonde sped up her fingers.

Franky broke the kiss, wanting to see the visual of Bridget making herself come, and she knew the blonde was close. It only took a few seconds for the first wave of pleasure to wash over the older woman’s body. The brunette watched as she rode out her orgasm, and began to slowly come down. Franky placed another kiss on her shoulder. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

Bridget opened her eyes, and looked at her girlfriend. It was the last thing she had expected to hear as Franky’s response to what she had just witnessed, and it made a huge smile break out across her face. The blonde turned onto her side and gently placed a hand on the brunette’s shoulder, forcing her to lay on her back.

“How are you feeling, baby?” Bridget gave her a small kiss.

Franky gave a small laugh. “About as expected after witnessing that.”

“Mmm, but how’s your shoulder?” The blonde placed a kiss on the side of Franky’s neck.

“It’s alright.” The brunette felt Bridget grin against her skin.

The older woman positioned herself lower on the bed, between Franky’s legs. She pushed up the material of the brunette’s shirt so that it gathered under her breasts, exposing her stomach. Franky closed her eyes as she felt Bridget’s lips on her skin, moving down until they reached her shorts. The blonde hooked her fingers on each side and Franky raised her hips, allowing the other woman to remove her shorts and underwear in one movement. Bridget continued kissing across both of Franky’s hip bones, and she could feel that the brunette was getting impatient.

The blonde dipped her head and ran her tongue up along Franky’s folds, ending with a large circle around her clit. Bridget wasn’t about to tease her girlfriend any longer. Forcing her to sit back and watch had been enough, and she could tell the brunette was more than ready.

Franky felt her girlfriend’s lips wrap around her clit, and her tongue gently moving back and forth. She reached down, burying her hand in Bridget’s hair, keeping her where she wanted her. She knew she wouldn’t last long. Watching the blonde had been one of the hottest things she’d seen, and it had taken every ounce of her willpower not to jump in and take over. As Bridget pushed her closer to her release, Franky moved against her mouth. Every time she lifted her hips even the slightest bit, it put pressure on her shoulders, and the brunette was starting to feel the pain coming back a bit. She pushed it out of her mind. There was no way she was telling Bridget to stop now, not when she was this close.

After a few more flicks of the blonde’s tongue Franky felt her back arch, and a shot of pain ran through her shoulder. She gasped, and she knew if Bridget thought she was in pain then she would stop, so the brunette quickly followed with a ‘Keep going’. One more flick and Franky’s body released all the tension that had been building up. Each contraction of muscles brought both pain and pleasure, but when her body came down she just felt relaxed and good.

Bridget kissed her way back up Franky’s stomach, and then connected their lips. The blonde pulled back to look at her. “That hurt your shoulder, didn’t it? Are you okay?”

“There’s pleasure in pain, Gidge.” Franky tried to laugh it off, but she winced as she tried to move herself up further on the pillows.

“I’m going to go get you something for it.” The blonde got up out of bed and headed toward the kitchen.

Franky heard the microwave beep and a couple minutes later, Bridget returned with a heat pack wrapped in a towel. She helped the brunette sit forward and draped it over her shoulder, holding it in place while she laid back again on the bed. The blonde crawled in again beside her and cuddled into her side.

“Thanks, babe.” The brunette said quietly.

Bridget gave her a quick kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”


	27. Chapter 27

It was a rainy morning, and Franky and Bridget were sitting on the couch having some tea when there was a knock at the door. Bridget sat down her mug, and went to answer it. She was greeted by Liz, Boomer, Allie, and Bea.

“Hey, love,” Liz greeted her with a big hug. “I hope it’s okay, us just showing up here. We came to see Franky; see how she’s doing.”

“Oh, it’s completely fine, “ Bridget replied with a smile. “She’ll be so happy to see you all. She’s in the living room, just down and around the corner.”

They each said hello to the blonde as they walked past her into the house. Bridget went to the kitchen to make some tea for their guests as Franky’s friends settled in around her.

“Heya, Franky.” Boomer gave her a hug, and sat down beside her. “They do that to ya in there?” She pointed to Franky’s face.

“Yeah, Booms. Three of them attacked me in the showers.”

“Wouldn’t a happened if I’d been there. I woulda bashed some heads for ya.” Boomer struck the palm of her hand with her fist. “Liz told us why you were in there. We all told ya Kim was crazy. I know you like a good root with a hot girl, but wasn’t worth it, eh?”

Allie discreetly elbowed Boomer in the side. “Booms.” When she caught her eye, Allie tipped her head towards Bridget, who was putting their mugs of tea on a tray to bring over.

The woman looked at her, confused for a moment, and then caught on that maybe she shouldn’t have said what she did in front of Franky’s girlfriend. “Oh, ah, sorry.”

Bridget just smiled at her as she placed the tray on the coffee table. The blonde turned to go back to the kitchen.

“You going to sit with us, babe?” Franky asked.

“I think I’ll finish up some work. I’ll let you guys catch up.” She smiled again and went into her office.

“So, how exactly did they end up letting you out?” Bea asked, taking a sip of her tea. “It sounded pretty bad from what Liz told us.” 

“She had a change of heart and decided to tell the truth, that I never touched her.”

While Franky told stories of her time at Wentworth, Liz quietly excused herself, saying she was going to the bathroom, but instead found Bridget in her office. She knocked lightly on the open door, so as to not startle the blonde.

“Oh, Liz! You surprised me, come in.” Bridget closed her laptop, and turned her chair.

“I just wanted to make sure Franky’s doing okay. I know prison can kind of mess with your head. I think she’d tell me if something was wrong, but you spend more time with her now.”

“Well, I think she’s probably still processing some things, and physically, she’s definitely still healing. I think she’s happy to be out.” Bridget paused. “While she was in there, she told me some things about her past. I just want to say thank you for everything you did for her. She wouldn’t be here with me today if it weren’t for you.”

“Love, she wouldn’t have been here with anyone. The streets are brutal, especially for a young girl, and she was headed for heaps of trouble.” Liz took a deep breath. “A lot of people had given up on her, but I had a feeling, and I had to try. I look at where she is now, and I’m so glad I did. She loves you a lot, I don’t know if she’s told you that yet, but I can tell she does.”

“She has.” Bridget couldn’t help the smile that came across her face.

Liz excused herself and went back out to join the others.

“So, Franky, you coming back to work?” Allie asked, as Liz returned.

“Yeah, definitely. As much as I love being home with Gidge, I need to keep busy too. She’s going back to work next week. I don’t think I could handle being here alone all day for very long. The doc said the sling could come off in a few days, and after that I’m allowed to do whatever doesn’t cause too much pain.” She looked over at Liz. “Thanks again for taking over my classes while I was gone. I’m still going to need extra help with the prep work when I get back.”

“No trouble, love. Makes it feel like old times a bit. The kids especially miss you though.” Liz smiled. “Maybe Emily will come back once you’re there again.”

“Wait, she wasn’t going while I was away?” Franky hadn’t specifically asked Bridget or Emily if she was still going, she had just assumed that she was.

Her friends all shook their heads. She made up her mind that she would get Emily to go back, the child had too much potential and passion for her to waste.

One hour and another round of tea later, and Franky’s friends said their goodbyes. She wandered into Bridget’s office.

“You know I love you, right?” the brunette asked, placing a kiss on the side of her girlfriend’s neck.

Bridget turned, searching Franky’s face, “Yeah, of course I do.”

“I know you heard what Boomer said today.” The brunette looked at the ground then out the window.

The blonde stood and put her arms around her girlfriend’s neck. “Baby, we all have our pasts. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean I want to know all the details about the women before me,, but I know they exist.” She gave Franky a small kiss. “I’m okay, alright? Are you up for us doing some errands after lunch?”

Franky nodded her head and rested her forehead against Bridget’s. “I also need to pick up some more clothes from my apartment.”

“Alright, let’s shower and get some lunch then we’ll go.” Bridget took Franky’s hand and led her to the bathroom.

********

They had spent about an hour running various errands and browsing through a couple of their favorite shops. The next stop was Franky’s apartment to swap out some of her clothes. The weather was getting warmer and she needed some lighter stuff to wear.

Bridget’s phone rang just as they were getting in the car. Franky sat inside while the blonde stood outside the driver’s door and talked.

“We need to go pick up Em from school.” Bridget started the car, and headed towards the school.

Franky sensed that something was bothering the blonde. “What’s going on?”

“Tim has to stay and work late again on this project and he can’t pick her up. I don’t mind, I really don’t, and I said I’d help out, but what’s going to happen when I’m back to work next week?” Franky sat back and listened while Bridget said what she needed to say, but the brunette already had a solution in mind. “I understand that he didn’t want a sitter because Em doesn’t really do well with them. His boss promised that if he moved here he could pick her up from school and work from home in the afternoons. I’m just worried about Em. That she’s going to get forgotten or all of us are busy and can’t go get her.”

“Can I make a suggestion?” Franky waited until she was sure Bridget was done talking. “Why don’t you just tell Tim that while he’s working on this project, I’ll look after Em after school? Then it doesn’t matter what time he finishes each day. She can come to the Centre on the bus like she was when you were looking after her and I’ll bring her to your place, or mine, or Tim’s when I’m done for the day. If she wants to help with the class that day, she can help me, or she can go in the office and work on her school stuff, or read, or have a nap. I mean, we’ll have to ask Tim of course, but the offer is there.”

“I think it’s a good idea, but won’t your boss mind?” Bridget actually thought it could be perfect for Emily, but she didn’t want Franky to get in trouble.

“Well, that’s Liz, so no.” Franky chuckled.

“Liz is your boss?” Bridget glanced over at her. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“ ‘Cause that’s not really what our relationship is like. I don’t look at her as a boss. She’s like the mother I wished I had.” If she was being completely truthful, Liz had done more for her than her own mother ever had.

They pulled up in front of Emily’s school and Franky saw mostly the same group of parents waiting there again today, including Owen’s mother. She had planned on waiting in the car while Bridget got her niece, but she couldn’t resist the chance to have a bit more fun.

The blonde walked to the edge of the group and saw Franky come up beside her out of the corner of her eye. The brunette wrapped her good arm around behind Bridget’s waist. She looked over and saw the mother looking at her again, the same way as during their first meeting, so Franky gave her a little nod and a wink. The woman cleared her throat and turned her attention back to the front doors of the school. Bridget couldn’t help but smile a bit, then she decided she could have her own fun.

“Oh, hey Cynthia. How have you been?”

“Not too bad, Bridget.” She kept her eyes forward. “I trust you’ve been well?”

“Yes, actually. Have you met Franky?” Bridget stepped back slightly so that Cynthia had a view of the brunette.

Franky removed her arm from around Bridget, and extended her hand. “Yeah, we met the other day, Gidge. Weren’t properly introduced though.”

Cynthia took her hand, “Ah, yes, you’re the…” She stopped mid-sentence.

“Girlfriend.” Franky smirked.

“Right, the girlfriend.”

Right on cue, the kids started coming out of the building, and Emily quickly found them.

"Hey, bub," Franky crouched down and gave her a hug.

"You're with us again for a bit today, love," Bridget told her. "Your Dad is tied up at work."

They got Emily settled in the car, then headed back towards Franky's apartment.

"Where are we going?" the young girl asked from the back seat.

Franky turned in her seat so that she could look at her. "We have to go to my apartment for a few minutes, okay?" The brunette could see that Emily was thinking about something, but in the end she just nodded her head and went back to looking out the window.

They pulled up to Franky's building, and Bridget walked with Emily while the brunette found her key. When they reached the door, Franky unlocked it and held it open, allowing them to enter first. She heard a door open down the hall, and saw Mrs. Watson stick her head out of her door. She quickly flipped her the finger, then went inside.

"I'm hungry," Emily said as soon as they arrived inside.

"Ah, I'm not sure there's much food around here. I haven't been here much." Franky started looking through the cabinets to see if there was anything for her to eat. "Can you wait until supper? We can start cooking as soon as we get home." 

The young girl shook her head. “I didn’t eat lunch.”

“Why didn’t you eat, love? Is it still in your bag?” Bridget thought maybe Emily just hadn’t been hungry at lunch. If that was the case, the easy solution would be for the blonde to go get it out of the car for her to eat now.

“Dad never gave me one.”

Franky and Bridget exchanged looks, and the brunette motioned for Bridget to come closer so she could talk with her without Emily overhearing. "Gidge, how about we just order something in and eat here? She’s probably really hungry."

"Yeah, sure. I'll order while you go pack some clothes." She found her phone in her bag and was about to ask what she should order when Franky handed her a stack of menus from on top of the fridge.

"I thought you liked cooking." Bridget gave a small laugh.

"I like cooking for people. Cooking for myself is boring." She gave the blonde a quick kiss. "Order anything you want. I'll go pack."

Bridget sat down on the couch and began looking through the menus. Emily had followed Franky into the bedroom, and Bridget ignored their conversation for the most part. There was something that caught her attention though.

"Why are your clothes here?" Emily was looking at the jewellery that was laying on the brunette's dresser.

"I live here," Franky replied, as she grabbed a bag and placed it open on the bed.

"But you're always at Auntie Bridge's house." The girl held up a silver necklace, then exchanged it for another one.

"Yeah, I like spending time with her, and you." She grabbed some t-shirts and lightweight pants and placed them into the bag.

"If you like being there, why do you live here?"

Franky turned to see Emily reaching for the handle on her bedside table drawer. "Hey, hey Em," the girl turned her head to look at the brunette, "not that drawer, okay?" The girl shrugged and went back to looking at the necklaces on the dresser.

Franky threw a few more clothes into the bag, and went to zip it up, but realized that she couldn't do it with just one hand. "Hey, Em, can you give me a hand with this?" After a few seconds with no response, the brunette looked up and saw Emily holding up one of her necklaces with a charm shaped like a swallow on it. It was silver, and the chain was in two pieces, attached at the beak and tail. She walked over and sat on the bed behind the girl. "Do you like that one?"

Emily nodded, "Yeah, it's pretty."

"You can have it if you'd like." A big smile broke out across the girl's face. "Okay, go ask Auntie Bridge if she'll put it on for you."

Bridget had ordered their food and was sitting on the couch. She had heard Emily ask Franky why she lived here instead of with Bridget. The blonde tried to remember how many nights Franky had actually spent here since they'd started dating. She could only think of a handful, and she had hated every one of them. Normally, she felt like sharing her space with someone was a chore, something that she had to get used to. With Franky though, it seemed like it was more natural to have her there than to not. She smiled, thinking how sometimes the logic of a child was so simple, 'If you like being there, why do you live here?'.

"Auntie Bridge, can you put this on me? Franky said I could have it!" Emily handed her the silver necklace.

"Oh, that's a nice one! Yeah, come here and turn around." Bridget took the necklace from her, and fastened it around her neck.

"What did you order for us?" Franky asked, setting her bag beside the door.

"Chinese from this place." Bridget held up the menu.

"Ooo good choice, Gidge."

The food arrived, and they ate. Tim had called and said he'd be at Bridget's to pick up Emily around six, so they decided to head back there not long after they had finished.

********

Bridget had said she'd talk to Tim about Franky looking after Emily after school, so when he arrived, Franky made sure that she had the young girl occupied with her drawings outside.

"Hey Bridge, thanks for picking her up again." Tim sat his bag down beside the door.

"Yeah, no problem, but uh, actually I wanted to talk to you about that. You know I don't mind at all, I love having her here, but I'm going back to work next week, and Franky probably will be too. I'm just worried that if this happens again, there won't be anyone to pick her up."

"Bridge, I ca-"

Bridget held up a finger to stop him. "Franky actually had a suggestion. She's offered to have Em come by the Centre after school and stay with her. When she's done work, she can either bring her here or to your place, depending on if you're still working or not. She's got an office in the classroom that Em can go in if she wants to be alone, or she can help with the class." She could sense Tim's hesitation. "I think it'll be good for her, you know how much she loves to cook."

He watched Emily draw with Franky at the table out on the patio. "Yeah, I think it would be great for her actually." He looked back to his sister, who had been watching the pair outside as well. "How's she doing after everything that happened?"

"I think she's okay. She's definitely glad to be back home." Bridget paused, considering that word, and glanced back outside.

Tim watched Bridget, and a grin came across his face. "Bridge?"

The blonde was pulled from her thoughts. "Hmm?"

"Whatever you're thinking, just do it." He placed a hand on her shoulder and she gave a nod.

********

Franky and Bridget were laying in bed that night when Bridget decided to tell the brunette that Tim had agreed to let her look after Emily after school.

"Tim said he's fine with Em meeting you after school." Bridget cuddled in closer to Franky's side.

"That's awesome, babe! I wonder if I can get her a little jacket to match mine?" Franky reached for her phone to check online for one.

"Franky, baby, wait until the morning at least." Bridget gave a small laugh and pulled the brunette's hand back down to rest on her side. She looked up at the brunette's face and could see that she was deep in thought. "What's going on in there?" she asked gently.

"How has she been since they moved here?" Franky picked an imaginary piece of lint off her t-shirt.

"She's been okay," the blonde remembered back to the day she picked her up from the school. How the principal had said Emily was acting differently now. "I think. It's just been an adjustment for both of them."

Franky nodded, seeming to accept Bridget's answer. "Liz said she hasn't been going to the classes at the centre."

Bridget picked her head up. "What?"

"Yeah, Liz said she hasn't been there since I've been gone. They all thought maybe she didn't want to go if I wasn't there, but I thought she'd be okay. Liz has looked after her before."

"Maybe Tim assumed that the class was cancelled since you were gone." Bridget shrugged. That seemed like the most likely explanation to her. She wished she'd thought to ask if Emily had been going though. She knew how much the girl enjoyed the class. "She'll get to spend lots of time there now though."

"Yeah, I'm gonna teach her everything," Franky smiled.

Bridget reached up and cupped the brunette's cheek. Every so often, she remembered Franky's final words to her as they fell asleep together that night in Wentworth, and this was definitely one of those times. "I love you so much, baby."

"I love you too, Gidge." Franky pulled her in for a kiss, and then Bridget settled in against her for the night.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, it's bonus chapter week coming up again. So this is your regular Friday chapter. The bonus, chapter 29, will be posted on Tuesday May 4th and then chapter 30 will be posted as usual on Friday May 8th. Keep staying safe!

Bridget sat at a table in one of her favourite cafes in the city. She had asked Vera to meet her there. It wasn't that she hadn't made up her mind about what she wanted to do, but she still felt like she needed to talk it through with someone first. Her friend showed up right on time, as usual.

Bridget stood to greet her, giving her a hug. "Thanks for coming."

"Oh, not a problem. Is everything okay?" Vera asked. While it wasn't unusual for Bridget to call her and ask to meet up somewhere, this time the blonde had specifically said it was because she needed to talk with her about something.

"Yeah." Bridget gave her a warm smile. "Everything is great."

They made small talk for a few minutes while they each decided what they wanted to have for lunch. After the waiter had taken their order, Bridget decided that she wouldn't keep her friend waiting any longer.

"I've decided to ask Franky to move in with me." Bridget took a sip of her coffee then sat the mug on the table.

"Is she not already living with you?" Vera asked with a straight face.

"What? Um, no. She has her own apartment." The blonde was a bit taken aback at her friend's reaction to her news.

"I know, Bridget. I'm just joking with you. Seriously though, she's spent what, maybe two nights there since you've been seeing each other? I think it's time to ask her." Vera studied Bridget's face while she took a drink of her tea. "You're not having doubts, are you?"

"Definitely not. I think it's just like it is with anything new. It's a bit scary at first." The blonde ran her finger along the handle of her mug. "She's never lived with anyone before."

"She's not going to say no."

Bridget smiled at her friend. "After we eat, I'd like you to come somewhere else with me. There's something I want to get."

Vera stopped with her mug halfway to her mouth. "It's not the same shop as last time, is it?"

The blonde let out a laugh. "No, it's not."

Once they had finished their meal, Bridget led them to a place she had heard Franky mention. She thought all of her girlfriend's tattoos were beautifully done, so she knew she would be in good hands here.

When they entered, the bell over the door rang, and a man came out from the back to greet them. He looked at the appointment book sitting on the counter. "You must be Bridget."

"I am." Bridget had to admit she was a bit nervous.

"Alright, I'm Dave, so I'll be your artist today. Did you bring a picture or have something you wanted in mind?" He leaned on the counter, waiting for the blonde to find the paper she was looking for in her bag.

"I want this." She handed him a photo she had taken and printed off earlier that morning. "Just the outline, something simple."

"Okay, sure. That's a cool design. Come on back and we'll get you set up. It shouldn't take long." He started towards one of the rooms along the side of the shop. "Your friend can come too if she wants."

Bridget turned to see that Vera hadn't followed behind them. She motioned for her to come along, but the small brunette stood her ground. Bridget took a step back, grabbed her hand, and pulled her along.

"Where are you getting it?" Dave had returned with the stencil he'd drawn.

"I was thinking right here." The blonde pointed to the sensitive spot on her rib cage that Franky loved to touch.

"Okay, I'll get you to lay on your other side then, and pull your shirt up." He began to gather his supplies while Bridget got onto the table. "Is this your first tattoo?"

"Yeah. I guess I never had a good reason to get one before." The blonde had actually thought she'd never get one. She understood why people liked them, and she definitely thought they looked good on Franky, but she could never see herself with one. This one though, she was sure about.

"Okay, nice even breaths, and try to stay as still as you can." Bridget heard the tattoo gun start. "Here we go."

It didn't feel like she thought it would. It did hurt, but it wasn't as bad as she was expecting. She knew she had picked a sensitive spot, but it was perfect. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. Before she knew it, she felt Dave washing it off with a cool liquid, and putting some ointment on it.

She carefully pulled her shirt down, and listened while he explained how to care for it over the next few days. She was excited for Franky to see it. She had decided that she wasn't going to tell her girlfriend that she had done it, but rather she'd let her discover it on her own. Bridget had one more thing to pick up then her idea would be complete.

********

When she arrived home that night, she left the item she had bought in the car, and checked to see where Franky was in the house. She opened the door quietly and heard the shower running. The brunette’s shoulder had been feeling much better the past couple days and she was able to shower and get dressed on her own now. Bridget quickly went back to the car to retrieve her purchase. She figured she’d have at least a few minutes before Franky was done and dressed. She carefully took down one of the pictures hanging on the wall in the hallway, and replaced it with the one she had just bought. She put the extra picture in the closet in the spare bedroom. She didn’t want to tip Franky off by having something look out of place.

Franky walked down the hall, running her fingers through her still damp hair. “Hey, babe, I didn’t hear you come in. How was your lunch with Vera?” She walked to Bridget, placing a kiss on her cheek on her way by.

“It was good, yeah.”

“You didn’t buy anything? I thought you were going shopping too.” The brunette looked around for bags containing Bridget’s purchases from the day.

“We ended up just having brunch then walking around a bit downtown.” Bridget headed towards the bedroom to change into more comfortable clothes.

“Babe?” Franky called down the hall after her. “What do you say we have the leftover Chinese food from yesterday for supper, and watch some movies tonight?”

“That sounds perfect,” the blonde hollered from the bedroom.

Franky fixed a plate for both of them, and warmed them in the microwave. When Bridget returned from the bedroom, she came to the kitchen to grab her food. She chose her seat on the couch strategically, making sure that when her girlfriend sat down, she would have a view of the new picture she had hung. Franky arrived with her plate of food and a beer for each of them.

Bridget watched her as they ate. Occasionally, the brunette would look around the room while she was chewing, but nothing had caught her attention yet. When they finished, Franky grabbed both of their plates to put them in the dishwasher. She took a few steps, then stopped.

“Gidge, this is new.” She pointed to what Bridget had hung on the wall earlier. “Did you get this today?”

“I did. Have a look at it,” the blonde said with a wide grin.

Franky reached out and sat the plates on the island, then went to have a closer look. It was a wooden picture frame, in the shape of a house and framed with silver trim. In the middle was written ‘Love Lives Here’. The brunette looked at the pictures that Bridget had put into the clips. There was one from their day at the amusement park with Emily, a selfie of the two of them laying in bed that Franky had taken early one morning, a picture one of Bridget’s friends had taken of them at her birthday party, and a few other ones that they had taken of each other. The last clip didn’t hold a picture, but held a key instead. After a few minutes, the blonde got up and came to stand behind Franky, wrapping her arms around her from behind.

“What do you think, baby?” she asked, kissing the back of Franky’s shoulder.

“It’s beautiful.” The brunette’s eyes fell to the key, and she reached up, running her fingers over it.

“That’s for you,” Bridget said softly. Franky looked confused for a second, and the blonde knew that she was thinking that she already had a key. “It’s more of a symbolic gesture. I want this to be your home, our home.”

Franky turned in her arms. “I love you.” She lowered her head, capturing Bridget’s lips in a slow, deep kiss.

“I love you too.” The blonde tried to read the younger woman’s expression. “Is that a ‘yes’?” Franky lowered her head and kissed Bridget once more. “Okay, baby, let’s watch something now, yeah?” The brunette nodded.

Bridget knew that when Franky got emotional, she sometimes got quiet. This was definitely one of those times. They picked a movie, and she settled on the couch against the brunette. The blonde watched the movie, absentmindedly taking Franky’s hand and lacing their fingers together. She ran her thumb back and forth across the side of the brunette’s palm and up the length of her index finger. After a bit, she felt Franky watching her, and she looked up to see a grin on her girlfriend’s face.

“Hey,” Bridget said softly, looking into Franky’s green eyes. “You alright?”

Franky smiled wider. “Better than alright. Come here.” She took Bridget’s other hand, gently signalling for her to sit on her lap, so the blonde was straddling her.

When Bridget sat down, Franky quickly ran her hands up the older woman’ thighs and around her hips, letting them come to rest on her butt. She pulled her close so that there was no space between them. Bridget looked down at her, and felt Franky’s hands travel up under the back of her t-shirt. She felt the brunette’s fingers tracing patterns on the back of her shoulders. She took Franky’s face in both of her hands and held it while she kissed her.

The brunette lifted her hands, and Bridget knew she wanted to take her shirt off. She figured Franky would see her new tattoo almost right away. She had taken her bra off after she’d gotten the tattoo so that it wouldn’t irritate the raw skin. Once the shirt was gone, it would be visible. She lifted her arms and allowed her girlfriend to remove her top.

Franky wanted to take her time. Sometimes she felt it was easier to show her emotions than to talk about them. She already knew she was completely in love with the woman sitting on her lap, but being asked to move in with her created a feeling that was new to Franky. No other place, except for Liz’s house, had ever felt like somewhere she wanted to call home. Even her own apartment seemed sterile and impersonal in some ways. It had been furnished when she moved in, so other than her clothes, some décor, and some kitchen items, nothing there was hers. She moved down Bridget’s neck, feeling the blonde’s pulse quicken under her lips.

Bridget leaned back a bit to allow Franky to continue her path down her chest. The brunette captured an already erect nipple in her mouth, and felt the blonde move her hips against her in response. Franky placed a kiss to the right, and Bridget knew where she was headed. The blonde felt a couple more kisses, then opened her eyes and looked down when she felt Franky pause her movements.

The brunette knew Bridget’s body, and knew what made her feel good. She also knew that what she was looking at was something new. She saw her girlfriend’s new tattoo that matched the necklace she had given her on her first night out of prison. The skin was still red and angry, so much so that Franky thought it had probably been done just earlier that day. She looked up at Bridget who was awaiting her reaction.

“Babe,” her voice was full of emotion. She carefully reached up and touched the skin as close to the tattoo as she dared. “You did this for me?”

Bridget nodded. “I’m yours.”

Franky pulled the blonde’s head down so she could connect their lips. She swiped her tongue along Bridget’s bottom lip, and the older woman parted her lips slightly to allow her access. Franky moved her hand down to the waistband of Bridget’s trackies and slipped inside her underwear. Her fingers soon made contact with wetness, and she gathered some on the tips before letting them glide back and forth over the blonde’s clit. Bridget moaned against her lips.

After a couple minutes, Franky could feel Bridget moving her hips, trying to push them forward. She knew what the blonde wanted, but she wanted to hear her say it.

“Tell me what you need.” She pulled back from the kiss just enough to speak.

“Mmm, I want you inside me.” Bridget nipped at Franky’s bottom lip.

The brunette moved two fingers to the other woman’s entrance, and Bridget pushed down so they sunk deep inside her. “Fuck,” she breathed out. She felt Franky’s long fingers flex as she moved against them. She felt her pulse speed up even more as the brunette hit all the right spots. She could easily let Franky push her over the edge quickly, but tonight she wanted the feeling of having her girlfriend inside her more than she wanted the inevitable orgasm that was building within her. She needed to take control and slow things down for a few minutes.

She kissed along Franky’s jaw. “Stay right there, baby,” she whispered when the brunette reached a spot deep inside. Franky stilled her fingers, as Bridget ground herself down onto them.

The blonde set her own, slower pace, moving up and down on her girlfriend’s hand. She threw her head back allowing Franky access to her neck and chest. She felt warm lips and a hot tongue following invisible paths over her body. She knew that soon, it wouldn’t matter how slow she went, her release would catch up with her.

“Fuck, baby.” Bridget leaned forward and buried her head in Franky’s neck. “I’m close.”

The brunette wrapped her other arm around the older woman’s body and held the blonde tight against her. “I’ve got you, babe.”

She could hear Bridget’s small moans in her ear, and feel the first tremors in her body. She let her fingers trace down the blonde’s spine, making Bridget’s muscles tense. The other woman moved against her fingers a couple more times before her orgasm ran through her. Franky moved her fingers slightly, to prolong the blonde’s pleasure for as long as possible.

Bridget was still and quiet for a moment before she picked her head up to look at the brunette.

Franky gazed into the blonde’s blue eyes, “Hey, babe,” she said softly.

The brunette smiled at her. “Hey.”

Bridget gave her a lazy kiss before moving her lips along the younger woman’s jaw and down her neck, giving a gentle nip on her collarbone. Franky pulled back to meet her eyes again, and the blonde could see that they’d turned a darker shade of green.

Franky stood up, taking Bridget with her, and the blonde wrapped her legs around the taller woman’s waist. As she connected their lips, she could tell that the brunette was heading toward the bedroom.

“Mmm, baby, put me down,” She mumbled against Franky’s lips.

The brunette sat Bridget down on her feet, and the blonde gently pushed her backwards into the dining area. Franky came to a stop when she felt the backs of her thighs hit the table.

“Get up.” Bridget gently pushed on the brunette’s shoulders to back her up onto the table. “Lay down.”

Franky laid back against the cool surface of the table feeling the goosebumps break out over her body. Bridget parted the brunette’s legs and stood between them, looking down at her. She pushed up the younger woman’s shirt, and trailed kisses across her stomach. She hooked her fingers in each side of her girlfriend’s pants, and Franky lifted her hips slightly to allow her to take them, along with her underwear, off over her feet and drop them on the floor beside her.

Bridget lowered her head and left small kisses all the way from the inside of Franky’s knee to the top of her thigh.

“Please, Gidge.”

Bridget decided that she wouldn’t make her wait. She ran her tongue the length of Franky’s slit, wrapping her lips around the brunette’s clit. She reached up with her left hand, sliding it under the younger woman’s shirt, and taking her breast in her hand. She let her palm graze over an erect nipple causing Franky to arch her back and push herself into Bridget’s mouth. She brought the fingers of her right hand to Franky’s entrance.

“Do it, babe,” the brunette moaned breathlessly.

The blonde pushed her fingers inside Franky and sat a rhythm. “Fuck, Gidge. Yes.”

The brunette’s moans quickly filled the room, and Bridget felt her fingers tangle in her hair, pulling gently when she did something that Franky particularly enjoyed.

The younger woman tried to control her breathing, tried to calm herself a bit, but she was no match for what Bridget was doing to her. Feeling the other woman inside her, her mouth on her, and her hand on her breast was like sensory overload, and Franky realized there was nothing to do besides give in. After watching and hearing Bridget earlier, she knew she was going to finish fast.

Her hand flew down to grip the edge of the table, and she felt her release come against the blonde’s mouth.

When Franky’s body had calmed, Bridget lifted her head to see the brunette looking down at her. Franky sat up and pulled the blonde towards her for a kiss.

A smile came over Bridget’s face. “Welcome home, baby.”


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's this week's bonus chapter! Chapter 30 will be posted on Friday!

Bridget woke to the feeling of Franky’s lips on the back of her shoulder. It had been a week since she’d asked her to move in, and today was the day it became official. Some of their friends had agreed to come help them move her boxes of stuff to Bridget’s house. They had decided to spend the night at Franky’s apartment so they would be ready to work first thing in the morning.

Bridget smiled into the pillow. “Mmm, good morning, baby,” she said, stretching.

She felt Franky’s hand reach around and up to squeeze her breast as she placed another kiss on the back of her neck.

“Not that I don’t love to be woken up like this, but we have work to do this morning,” the blonde said as she turned over to face the other woman.

“I know, babe,” Franky leaned down and gave her a soft kiss. “Come shower with me, then?” The brunette placed a kiss on the spot below Bridget’s ear.

The older woman sighed, “Fine, let’s go, but no funny business.” She pointed her finger at Franky as she got out of the bed.

“I promise. Scout’s honour.” The brunette winked at her and followed her into the bathroom.

While the two had become efficient at showering together when Franky had been injured, today it took them almost an hour. Franky had broken her promise more than once, but Bridget wasn’t complaining.

They had just gotten dressed when the first of their friends knocked on the door, and Bridget opened it to see Will and Vera standing there. Franky had seen Vera since she’d been released, but this was her first time seeing Will.

When he entered, he greeted the brunette with a smile. “It’s good to see you back on your feet.”

“Thanks, yeah I think I’m almost back to normal.” She noticed Vera hanging back a bit. “Hey, come here.” She opened her arms, and Vera reluctantly returned her hug. “You alright?” Franky asked, low enough that Will and Bridget wouldn’t hear her over their own conversation. She felt Vera nod against her. “Alright.” She stepped back.

They chatted for a few minutes, and by that time Allie and Bea had shown up as well.

“Where should we start?” Allie was eager to start working.

“All the boxes go, but none of the furniture.” Franky looked around to make sure she wasn’t forgetting anything. “There’s a few things still to pack in the bedroom, so we’ll do that then help with the boxes. Just put them in whatever car they’ll fit in, and we’ll sort it out when we get to Gidge’s.”

“Home, baby.” Bridget gave her a kiss on the cheek on her way by.

“What?” Franky looked after her.

“You said it was my house. It’s not just my house anymore, it’s yours too.” The blonde continued into the bedroom to put the last few items into boxes.

The brunette looked back at their group of friends to see them all smiling at her. “Alright, come on let’s go!” She gave a small laugh and went into the bedroom to help the blonde.

“You going to miss this place?” Bridget asked as she took the sheets off the bed.

Franky looked around for a moment. “Nah, there aren’t really many memories here, good or bad. Best one was probably the night you came over for our first date. You were my only dinner guest.”

“Ever?” The blonde looked up, surprised.

“Unless you want to count the couple of times me and Booms had some crappy takeout here after a night out. As far as like actually cooking a meal and inviting someone over, yeah, just you.” She noticed that Bridget had stopped what she was doing. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I just assumed…I don’t know.” The blonde shook her head.

Franky walked around to the other side of the bed, and took Bridget into her arms. “I told you you’re special.”

“I know. I just thought you’d probably at least wined and dined a few ladies.” She gave a small laugh at her own comment.

“Nah, I didn’t date those women, I just slept with them.” Franky thought for a moment about how honest she wanted to be right now. “I didn’t care about them. I mean, in the moment I cared that they were having a good time, but beyond that, no.”

Bridget was having a hard time reconciling the version of Franky she knew with the one Franky was saying existed before they met. In the end though, it didn’t matter. She stretched up, and gave the brunette a kiss.

“Ahem.” They both turned when they heard Vera clear her throat. She was standing in the doorway holding a bottle of something. “I was doing a final check through the bathroom, and I found, uh, this.” She held up the bottle, and the brunette could see it was a bottle of lube. “I figured you’ll probably need, um, want to pack it. Anyway, I’ll just leave it here, yep, okay.” She sat it down on the corner of the dresser, and wiped her hand against her pants before she quickly left the room.

Franky looked at Bridget. “Oops.” They both burst into laughter.

They rolled up the bedding, and placed it in a laundry bag along with the towels they had used that morning. They carried it out into the living room, and put it with the boxes, then began helping the others carry things out to the cars. With six people, it didn’t take long, and soon Franky was doing a final walk through, making sure she hadn’t left anything behind.

********

A few hours later, all the boxes were moved into the house. As a thank-you to their friends, Franky decided to cook a meal for everyone. It wasn’t anything big, or special, since the house was littered with boxes until she got a chance to unpack, but she had prepared burgers the day before with her own special blend of seasonings, and they were ready to go on the barbecue.

She was waiting for the grill to get to the perfect temperature when Will came around the corner carrying the plate of burgers.

“Bridget sent me out with these,” he said, placing the plate on the table beside the grill. “This is really nice of you, you didn’t have to do this for us. It’s going to be a long enough day for you two without feeding us as well.”

“Ah, no worries. I did most of the prep work yesterday. Besides, we have to eat too.” She gave him a playful nudge with her elbow.

“I know you’re the pro, but I’ve got a great kebab recipe that I could share with you some time.”

“Yeah, for sure, that sounds great!” Franky was always up for trying out new dishes. Will gave a nod and was about to leave. “Hey, Will. Thanks for everything you did while I was in there. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t shown up when you did.”

“It’s my job, and you’re a friend on top of that. When I saw Linda in the staff room before I’d traded off with her, I knew it wasn’t going to be good. How’s the shoulder?”

“Not completely healed but much better than it was. It just aches if I push it too far. I went back to work on Monday though since Liz said she’d help out with some of the prep.” She began placing the burgers on the grill.

When they’d sat down to eat, Vera noticed that Will was the only one who hadn’t tried any of Franky’s cooking yet.

“Will, you’re in for a treat. If the burgers are anything like the omelettes she makes, they’re going to be amazing.” Vera sat down at the table out on the patio.

“Oh! Franky this is seriously good! You could sell these.” Will took another big bite.

“That’s the plan someday.” Franky gave him a wink as she started eating her own burger.

********

A couple hours later everyone had gone home, and Franky was starting to unpack her things. She started with the boxes of clothes she had taken to the bedroom, thinking that they would be the quickest to get through. Bridget had cleared out some drawers for her, and she’d put away most of her underwear, bras, socks, and sleepwear. The next box she opened had some of her shirts and jackets. She opened the closet door, expecting to find some empty space, and was met with wall to wall jackets hanging up. There were two closets so she thought that maybe Bridget had cleared out the other one for her and that’s why this one was so full. When she opened the other one though, it was also packed. This one contained what looked to be the rest of her shirts and pants she wore to work and a shelving unit in the bottom filled with shoes and boots.

“Gidge?” Franky called out to Bridget, who was in the kitchen unpacking a box.

“Yeah?”

“Can you come here for a minute?” Franky could hear her girlfriend walking down the hall already.

“What’s going on, baby?” She looked at the open closet doors and the boxes of Franky’s clothes that were still packed.

“There’s no room for my stuff.”

“What about the drawers I cleared out?” Bridget opened the drawers Franky had just filled. “Oh. Um. Okay, maybe I have a bit of a clothes addiction.” She gave the brunette a weak smile. “You know, I’ve been thinking about getting rid of some of these.” She walked over to the closet that contained her jackets and began looking through them. “Oh, but this one goes so well with that silky blue blouse, and this goes really well with that black skirt I have.” She moved on to the next one.

“Babe,” Franky just wanted to get the unpacking over with so they could relax for the rest of the evening. “What about the closets in the spare rooms? Can we just put some in there, and you can go through them another day?” Bridget gave her a guilty smile. “Seriously, Gidge?”

“I admit I have a problem.” She gave a small laugh, and Franky walked over to her, giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “How about I’ll just lay them on the bed in there and I’ll get them sorted over the next few days?”

Franky gave her another quick kiss. “I’ll help you.”

After the clothes were dealt with, they moved on to the kitchen. Bridget had readily agreed that Franky was free to set that up however she liked since she’d probably be spending the most time in there out of the two of them. As she unpacked, the brunette swapped out Bridget’s things for hers. The blonde had agreed to donate anything that Franky didn’t think she’d need at the house, to be used in the classroom at the centre.

All in all, other than the lack of closet space, the unpacking went smoothly, and only took a couple of hours. It had been a long day though and they’d decided to call it an early night.

Franky was already laying in bed, staring at the ceiling, when Bridget returned from the bathroom. The blonde got under the blankets and laid next to Franky, resting her head on the younger woman’s shoulder, and draping her arm over her stomach. The brunette didn’t say anything, just pulled the other woman in and held her close.

“You alright?” Bridget looked up at her girlfriend, and saw that she was still looking at the ceiling. She had tears in her eyes. “Baby?”

“Yeah, I’m good, Gidge.” She gave Bridget a quick smile then went back to looking at the ceiling. The blonde thought that maybe she was done talking for the night, so she closed her eyes. She could feel herself drifting into sleep when Franky began to speak. “I just never really had a place like this before.”

“Hm? What do you mean?” Bridget fought her way back out of sleep. She loved when Franky shared what was going on in her mind, and she had a feeling this was going to be one of those times.

“A place that was really home. Liz’s place was really close, I felt good there, but I knew eventually I’d have to leave and make my own way. Here though…” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I never thought I’d have someone like you either. I didn’t think I could love someone, I didn’t understand what that even meant.”

“You’re really good at loving someone.” Bridget turned her head, and gave the brunette a kiss on the shoulder. “You’re good at loving me, I’ve never questioned how you felt. You’re good at loving Em too. She’s not drawn to many people, but I saw your connection with her right away.”

“I probably owe that to Liz. I was so wary of her when I first met her. No one had ever just been nice to me.” Franky wiped away the tears that had fallen. “I had gotten involved with this guy. He saw me on the street one day, said he could see that I was struggling, and offered me a way to make money. He turned me into one of his dealers. I’d had a few close calls with some of the customers. Mostly those guys I told you about that day in your office. I’d been lucky that I went as long as I did without anything majorly bad happening. If I hadn’t met Liz, I don’t know where I would have ended up. I thought for sure for the first few weeks that she was going to want something in return, especially after she offered me her spare room. All she ever asked for though was that I stayed on the right path and worked hard. That’s when I realized that maybe that’s what people were talking about when they spoke about their mother loving them unconditionally. I was still angry, and I was a long way from being able to feel love for someone else, but that time with her was definitely the catalyst for who I became later on, who I am now. After all the therapy, I realized that I did love her like she was family. She’s the closest thing to a mother I’ve had. I still couldn’t let myself fall in love though. That was way too scary to think about. Until I met you. You made me feel like falling in love was easy, and safe.”

It was Bridget’s turn to wipe her eyes. “I’m so glad you’re here.” She picked up her head and gave the brunette a long kiss. “Turn over.” She motioned for Franky to lay on her side, and the blonde moved in behind her. It wasn’t often that Bridget was the big spoon, but tonight she felt like it was what her girlfriend needed.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to our regularly scheduled program!

It was Wednesday afternoon, and Franky and Liz were busy getting ready for her class when Emily arrived. The girl went into Franky’s office as usual to drop off her school bag, then came out to join the two women.

“Hey, bub. How was school?” Franky asked. Emily had gotten up on the step stool beside the brunette, so Franky slid a cutting board and knife in front of her, assuming she wanted to help.

“It was okay,” Emily replied. She hadn’t yet touched the knife that had been given to her.

Franky glanced over and saw that the child hadn’t joined in. “Do you want to help out today, or do you want to go into the office?” She thought maybe she’d misunderstood, and Emily had only come over to talk, not to help. The girl shook her head. “Which are you saying ‘no’ to?”

“I want to help, but I’m hungry, too.”

Franky thought back to the last time Emily had told her that. “What did you have for lunch today?”

The young girl shrugged. “Dad forgot to pack it again.”

The brunette looked over at Liz, then back to Emily. “Okay, go wash up, then come back, and I’ll make you something. You can help after you eat if you want.”

After Emily left, Franky went to the fridge and got out some cheese and butter. She placed a pan on the stove and started getting it warmed up. Something wasn’t adding up. This was the second time in two weeks that Tim had forgotten to give Emily something for lunch. He had also gotten Bridget to pick her up twice on very short notice. Short enough that if they hadn’t happened to be around, the child would have had to stay at school until someone there could track him down. There was also the time when she was in prison, and Bridget had gotten called to come pick her up because she was sick, and once again, they couldn’t find Tim. She knew he loved Emily, and maybe this was just him trying to figure out how to transition into being a single parent with a demanding job, but he couldn’t just keep forgetting to feed her and not being there when she needed him. Franky knew what it was like to grow up with only one parent who wasn’t fully present.

“Franky, love, what’s wrong?” Liz had walked over to the other counter to stand beside her, pulling her out of her thoughts.

Franky realized that she had probably been banging things around a bit. She was getting more upset the more she thought about the situation. “He forgot to give her any lunch.” The brunette took out two slices of bread and began to butter one side of each.

“Yeah I heard, but why are you so upset? I’m sure it was a mistake.”

“It’s not the first time.” Franky sighed as she put the cheese between the bread and set the sandwich in the pan. “I just know what it’s like to not have food when you’re hungry. Doesn’t matter why it happened, it still doesn’t feel good. I’m going to talk with Bridget when I get home. Maybe we can talk to her teacher, leave some money there so if she doesn’t have lunch with her, she can buy something. You know, that’s what makes it even worse. He doesn’t even have to pack something if he doesn’t want to be bothered, he could just hand her some money. It takes two seconds to make sure she can eat that day, but nah.”

“Let’s not jump to any conclusions. Have a talk with Bridget tonight and see what she thinks. Em’s on her way back now.” Liz gave Franky’s shoulder a squeeze and went back to her work.

Emily returned and pulled the step stool over by the stove. “What are you making?”

“Grilled cheese. You like that, yeah?” Franky was sure she’d made it for her before. Emily nodded. “Here.” The brunette handed her the spatula. “It’s almost ready to be flipped.”

Franky showed her how to lift the corner and check to see if it was toasted enough, then how to flip it quickly so it wouldn’t slide off the spatula. “Now we wait until the other side is the same colour. Then it’s done.”

Liz looked over to see the two standing by the stove. The young girl was leaning against Franky, her arm around behind the brunette, and Franky had draped her arm over Emily's shoulders. She quickly grabbed her phone from her pocket and took a picture. She smiled, looking at the image on the screen and sent it to Franky. She knew the brunette would appreciate her capturing that moment between her and the young girl.

When the sandwich was ready, Franky held out a plate and let Emily take it out of the pan. She cut it for her. “Give it a minute. The cheese will be hot,” she said, handing her the plate. Emily sat down at the table and started eating while the brunette went back to her prep work with Liz.

********

When Franky checked her phone at the end of the class, she had a message from Tim, saying that he was home, so she could drop Emily off there whenever she was done work. She also saw the message from Liz, and smiled at the picture. She forwarded it to Bridget, along with a message saying she’d be dropping Emily off on her way home.

“You all packed up?” Franky asked Emily, lifting her own bag onto her shoulder.

“Am I going to yours and Auntie Bridge’s house?” Emily was putting the last items into her bag.

“No, your Dad is home so I’ll drop you off there.” The brunette stood by the door, waiting.

“Can I come to your place instead tonight?” She had stopped getting ready to leave and sat down on the couch.

“Not tonight, sorry. Your Dad said to bring you home. But hey, we can plan something for the weekend instead, okay?” Franky had had a long day, and was ready to get home and relax. “Come on, bub, let's go.”

Emily started putting her things in her bag again, although the brunette could tell she was taking her time. After a few extra minutes, they were out and getting in Franky’s car. She watched the child in the rear-view mirror as she drove. Emily’s mood had changed. She had gotten quiet, and was just staring out the window.

“You alright?” Franky asked, glancing back at her. She got no answer.

Fifteen minutes later, she pulled into the drive at Emily’s house and turned off the car. By the time the brunette had gotten out and gone around to the young girl’s door, she had unbuckled herself but was still just sitting there. Franky reached down and opened the car door.

“Come on, I’ll walk you to the door.” The brunette held out her hand. Emily reluctantly took it, and they started toward the house.

Franky knocked once and waited. There was no answer, so she knocked again. Still there was nothing, and she heard no movement inside. Technically, she figured she could just go in since she was bringing Emily home. She reached for the doorknob, just as the door swung open.

“Oh, hey. Sorry, was having a bit of a nap. Next time just come in.” Tim stumbled a bit as he stepped back out of the doorway to let them in.

Franky looked at him, then down at Emily. The girl looked up at her, and the brunette sensed that maybe there was more going on here than she had realized.

“Hey, Em, why don’t you go get changed into your pyjamas? I need to talk to your Dad for a minute. Then you can show me that book you were talking about earlier, okay?” Franky had crouched down to talk to the girl, and watched her go down the hall to her room before she stood up and faced Tim. She held his gaze for a moment, and he swayed slightly. “You feeling okay?”

“Yeah, fine,” he said, giving her a smile.

She could smell the alcohol on his breath, and it made her nauseous. She could drink, and did once in a while, but something about the smell on his breath, in this situation made her feel ill. It hit too close to home, too close to her own childhood. She could remember her mother getting in her face, and screaming at her that she was worthless and that no one would ever love her. Sometimes she’d wake up in the middle of the night, and before she’d even open her eyes she knew that her mother was in the room just from the smell of stale alcohol that came from her body. It made sense now why Emily had wanted to come to their house instead of here. She didn’t think Tim was abusive like her mother had been. She just thought that he’d checked out. He was lost in the booze, and Emily was left to fend for herself most of the time. She took a deep breath and realized that her whole body was tense. She concentrated on relaxing the muscles in her neck and shoulders, then down her arms and back. There were so many things she wanted to say to Tim, to ask him, but it wasn’t her place. This was something that had to come from Bridget. There was also the slight chance that she was wrong, and she prayed that was the case, but deep down she had a bad feeling about it. She didn’t want to leave Emily here, but she couldn’t just say she was taking her back with her, even though that was exactly what she wanted to do. “Listen, Em asked if she could come to our place tonight. I had said no, but now, given the situation, I think it’s maybe a good idea.” She knew it came out harshly, but right now she didn’t really care.

Tim held her eyes for a moment. Realizing that she had seen through his earlier statement that he was fine, he nodded. He knew he had fucked up. Just then Emily returned, having changed her clothes and carrying the book she wanted to show Franky.

“Em, love, Franky says you asked about staying with her and Auntie Bridge tonight. It’s okay with me if you still want to go.”

The girl’s face lit up, and she nodded excitedly.

“Put your shoes on and wait in the car. I’ll bring your bag and be out in a minute.” Franky waited while Emily put her shoes back on and went outside.

“I’ve just been under a lot of stress at work…” Tim began.

“Tim.” Franky stopped him. “It’s getting late, and she’s had a long day. I just want to get her settled somewhere. I know everything that’s happened isn’t easy, but you’ve got to think about her. One of us will be in touch tomorrow, okay? I hope you’re feeling better by then.” She picked up Emily’s school bag, and headed back to the car.

It was only a five minute drive to their house, and Emily never said a word the whole way there. Franky walked into the house, and could smell the food that Bridget had put into the oven. The brunette had made some meals ahead that they could cook quickly on days when they both worked late. She dropped her bag on the end of the couch.

“Hey, baby! How was your da-“ Bridget stopped short when she saw the look on Franky’s face, and saw Emily come around the corner behind her. “What happened? I thought you said…” She trailed off when she saw Franky shake her head.

“Auntie Bridge!” Emily gave her aunt a hug. “Franky said I could stay here tonight.”

Bridget looked at Franky. She didn’t know what exactly had happened, but she knew that the brunette must have had her reasons for changing their plans. “Yeah, of course! Dinner’s almost ready.”

Emily took her bag and went down to the room she always stayed in.

“Franky, what’s going on?” Bridget searched her girlfriend’s face for clues.

“I can’t really get into it now. We need to talk after she goes to bed though.” Franky lowered her voice even more. “I did take her to Tim’s first. He knows she’s here. I’ll tell you the rest later, okay?”

The blonde nodded and gave Franky a quick kiss. “Okay, baby. Okay.”

Franky changed her clothes, and came back to the kitchen. Emily was happily colouring at the coffee table. The brunette poured herself a glass of water, and leaned back against the counter in the kitchen. She watched the young girl as she drank. She knew the situation was different from hers as a child, but she couldn’t help but feel protective of her anyway.

Bridget knew that the brunette was troubled tonight. In some ways, she wanted the evening to pass by quickly so that her and Franky could talk. In other ways though, she was dreading to know what had happened. The blonde walked over to lean against the counter beside Franky, and reached behind her to rub the younger woman’s back. The timer on the oven beeped, signalling that their meal was ready.

Franky went to grab the oven mitt, but Bridget stopped her. “I got this. You and Em go sit down.” She gave the brunette a small kiss.

Emily ate two plates of dinner, even after eating the grilled cheese sandwich that Franky had made for her earlier.

“You want some dessert?” Franky asked, clearing away the plates. The small blonde nodded her head.

The brunette took a bowl from the cabinet and the ice cream from the freezer. When she turned back to the counter, Bridget was looking at her with a look that told Franky she was surprised that the girl had said yes after eating two servings of her meal.

"No lunch again today," Franky said quietly as she dipped the ice cream.

The blonde didn't say anything, but just gave a slight frown and went back to loading the dishwasher.

Franky paced back and forth in front of the kitchen island. She could hear the sound of the kettle starting to boil in the background. When Emily had finished eating she'd asked Bridget to read from the book she'd brought with her. She knew that when the blonde came out of that room, it would be time for them to talk. It was a delicate subject, and if she was wrong, she worried that Bridget would be upset that she would accuse her brother of such things. She heard the door open at the end of the hall, and took a deep breath. She was standing facing the large windows overlooking the backyard when she felt Bridget come up behind her and wrap her arms around her.

The blonde rested her head against the back of Franky's shoulder. "Whatever is it, it'll be okay. We'll make it okay."

Franky nodded in response. "Is she asleep?" she asked.

"Almost, but she said she wanted to talk to you first." Bridget sighed. "Let's have the tea in bed. I feel like this could be a long talk. I'll make it and meet you in there."

Franky took one of the blonde's hands, and brought it to her lips, giving the back of it a small kiss. "Yep." The brunette went to talk to Emily while Bridget made their tea in the kitchen.

The brunette opened the door quietly, in case the child had fallen asleep already. There was just enough light coming in from the hallway for her to see Emily's head turn towards the door to look at her.

"Hey, bub. Auntie said you wanted to talk to me." Franky sat down on the floor beside the girl's bed.

"Will my Dad be okay?" Her voice was small.

Franky thought for a moment before she answered. “Yeah, your Dad just wasn’t feeling so great tonight. So we thought you could stay with us and he could get some rest so he feels better. We’re going to check on him in the morning, okay?” She wished Bridget was here now. 

Emily nodded. Franky got up and gave her a kiss on the head before leaving to go talk with Bridget.

Franky changed into her sleepwear and joined Bridget, who was already in bed. She'd left the brunette's mug of tea on her bedside table. She left it there for the time being, judging by the steam coming off it that it was too hot to drink right now.

"So what happened today, baby?" The blonde took one of her girlfriend's hands, and held it between hers.

Franky decided she'd started from the beginning. "She came to the centre today, and said she was hungry. Just like she did the day we were at my apartment. So I asked if she'd had lunch, and she said that Tim didn't pack her one today. I made her a grilled cheese sandwich. So she's eaten that, two helpings of supper, and ice cream since she finished school this afternoon. She's hungry, Gidge. After class, I checked my phone and Tim had texted me and said he was home and to bring her there. When I told her that's where she was going she asked to stay here. I said 'no', it was her Dad's call. She didn't want to go. She took her time packing up, never said a word in the car, then when we got there she wouldn't get out until I went around and opened her door. I knocked on the door, no answer, so I knocked again, hard, and then finally he answered. He said he was taking a nap, and maybe he was actually asleep, but he was drunk. I could smell it on him, and Emily knew. The look she gave me, I just knew it was something she'd seen before. I asked her to go to her room and get changed so I could have a minute with him. I asked if he was alright, he said he was fine, but..." she shook her head. "I said Em had asked to stay with us tonight and I thought it was a good idea, he agreed. So when she came back, I sent her to the car. He said he was under a lot of stress at work. I couldn't listen to it, Gidge, I couldn't. I said he needed to think about Em, and that one of us would talk to him tomorrow." She turned to look at Bridget. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't leave her there."

"It's okay." The blonde was quiet, and Franky could tell that she was lost in thought. After a moment, she spoke again. "You're sure he was drunk?"

Franky nodded. "He was stumbling a bit and I could smell it on him. I'd know that smell anywhere."

Bridget let out a long breath, and the brunette could see that there were tears in her eyes. "He, uh, had a drinking problem years ago. It was really bad. He really wanted to change though. He'd met Sarah, he wanted to be a dad, he wanted to be a good one. He went through the whole rehab thing. He, I thought he was okay. He hadn't touched it in years." She wiped away the tears falling down her cheeks. "How did I miss it? I should have known. I should have known this would all be too much for him."

"Gidge, how could you have known?" Franky reached out, gently turning Bridget's head so she had to look at her.

"There's stuff that makes sense now. I wrote it off, and I shouldn't have."

Franky wasn’t sure she wanted to know. “Like what?”

“She asked to stay the first two weekends that she was back, and Tim never stuck around. He’d just drop her off and go, saying he wasn’t feeling well. She always ate a bit more than she used to when she lived here too. I just figured she was having a growth spurt or something. I didn’t think much of it. The day she was sick, when I picked her up, the principal said that she was more withdrawn than she had been, and that she only talked about me and you. I thought she was just missing her mom and adjusting to the move. God, I had an excuse for everything. That day she didn’t bring her lunch bag with her, I thought she’d forgotten it at school. She asked if I was sad one night because I was going to have a glass of wine. She said Tim told her that’s what people drink when they’re sad. Fuck! I should have at least gotten that one.”

The brunette pulled her closer. “It’s not your fault. There’s a lot going on with her lately. I could see myself making those same assumptions. I didn’t think anything was off until I went to drop her off today. If that had been you, the roles would be reversed right now.” She gave Bridget a kiss on the temple. “When I went in to talk to her just now, she asked if he was going to be okay.”

“What did you say?”

“I said he wasn’t feeling well, that he needed to rest, and that we’d check on him in the morning.” She felt Bridget nod. “But Gidge, that means she’s aware of what’s going on, and I can tell you that messes with a kid.”

“I know, baby, I know.” The blonde was quiet.

“What are you thinking?” Franky spoke softly.

“I think she should stay with us while he gets help.” Bridget wiped away another tear.

“I think she should, too.”

“I’ll go talk to Tim in the morning. I’ll tell Vera I’ll be in a bit late. Family emergency.” She let out a long breath.

"What if he says 'no'? What if he doesn't want Emily to stay with us? Or doesn't think there's a problem?" Franky suddenly had a million thoughts running through her head.

"I don't think he'll say 'no'. He knows he has a problem with drinking. The first time he was a bit reluctant to admit it, but this time I think it'll be okay." Bridget looked over at the brunette. "If he was okay with her coming here tonight, he's not going to make her come back until he's got this all figured out. He loves her a lot, and he'll want what's best. You know I'd fight for her. I won't have to, but I would."

"I know. That's the difference between her and me. I didn't have that, and when I realized what was going on with him today, I felt like I was a little kid again, and all those feelings came back." It was Franky's turn to shed some tears.

"Shh, you did good today, baby." Bridget reached over, and wiped the brunette's cheek with her fingers. "We'll get her to school in the morning then I'll go over to his house."

"You'll tell me what happens? What he says?" Franky looked at her expectantly.

"Yes, I promise. I will tell you as soon as I know anything." The blonde knew that she could tell Franky over and over that everything would be alright, but she wouldn't settle until she knew the outcome of that conversation tomorrow. "Do you want to try to get some sleep? It's been a long day."

"Do you think she's asleep?" Franky glanced in the direction of the room where Emily was sleeping.

"She was almost asleep when I left earlier, and she hasn't come looking for us, so I'd say she is, yeah." Bridget said, moving down from her half-sitting position in the bed, hoping the brunette would follow.

"I'm just going to make sure that she's not laying there awake." Franky started to get out of bed.

"Franky," Bridget said, half yawning. "If she is, bring her in here with us. No need of her laying there alone all night if she's worried."

The brunette nodded, and quietly opened their bedroom door. She walked the few steps down the hallway, and listened outside the young girl's door. She didn't hear anything, so she gently opened it just enough that she could look in. Emily was fast asleep, so she quietly closed it and went back to get in bed again.

"Was she asleep, baby?" Bridget asked.

"Yeah, it looked like she was. She didn't move when I opened the door." Franky climbed in, facing the blonde. "Are you going to be able to sleep?"

Bridget sighed. "I don't know. Probably not."

Franky pulled her close, and wrapped her arms around her tightly. Bridget knew the brunette held her a little closer whenever something was really bothering her. She loved that her girlfriend got that extra bit of comfort from being near her, but tonight she was thankful because she needed it as well. Franky lazily moved her fingers over the blonde's back where her hand rested.

"I like that." Bridget smiled.

Franky gave her a small kiss. 'I love you'.

Bridget gave her one in return. 'I love you, too.'.

They both knew that probably neither of them would get much sleep that night, but at least they had each other, and they'd get through it together.


	31. Chapter 31

The next morning Franky awoke to find the bed empty. She didn't remember even falling asleep. She wondered if Bridget had gotten any rest, or if she was already gone because she got tired of laying there awake. The brunette got out of bed and made her way out of the room. She saw that Emily's door was open already, and she could hear her and Bridget quietly talking in the kitchen.

"Hey, baby," Bridget said, looking up from where she was sitting at the kitchen table. "Want some breakfast?"

"I'm not really feeling it this morning, Gidge. I think I'll just grab something at work if I'm hungry later." Franky had one thing on her mind today, and it wasn't breakfast. She wanted the day to get moving so she knew what was going to happen with Tim and Emily.

The blonde got up and walked over to her, putting an arm around her waist. "Skipping breakfast won't help anything." She raised her eyebrow.

Franky knew she was right. "Okay, I just want cereal though."

"That's fine." Bridget smiled. "Then come sit with us, okay?"

Franky nodded, and went to get a bowl and the box of cereal out of the cabinet. "How did you sleep?" She asked Emily as she sat down at the table.

"Good." The girl went on eating her breakfast. "Am I going back to Dad's tonight?"

"I'm going to go talk to your dad this morning while you're at school. After that we'll know, okay?" Bridget wanted to tell her that no, she was coming back here, but she wouldn't do that until she'd talked to Tim. "You'll go meet Franky after school though like usual."

Emily finished eating and went back to her room to get dressed.

"How about you? How did you sleep?" Bridget asked the brunette.

"I didn't think I would sleep at all but I must have at some point."

"You fell asleep fairly quickly I think. I felt your hand stop moving not long after we were done talking." The blonde sipped her coffee.

"Did you sleep?" Franky asked looking up from her cereal.

"Not really. This is my third cup," she said, picking up her mug from the table to have another drink. "I'll take Em to school, then go right to Tim's. Depending on how that goes, I'll head to work. I've already talked to Vera, so everything is cleared there. I'll let you know what's going on as soon as I know."

Franky nodded as she got up to put her bowl and spoon in the dishwasher. "Did you pack lunches yet?"

"Not yet, I was just about to start." Bridget added her mug to the dishes.

"I got it. You go and get ready for work." Franky gave her a quick kiss.

Franky had their lunches ready by the time they had both gotten dressed. She gave Bridget a kiss on the cheek as she handed hers to her, then gave Emily hers. Bridget started to walk to the car, but the girl didn't follow. Instead, she reached her arms up to Franky, and waited for a goodbye hug before she'd leave.

********

When they arrived at the school, Bridget walked Emily from the car to the entrance. "I'll see you tonight." She gave her a hug, and turned to leave again.

"Good morning, Bridget" A cheery voice called from a few feet ahead of her on the walkway.

"Hello, Cynthia." The blonde hadn't forgotten how this woman had treated Franky.

"No Franky today?" The woman asked, looking around.

"She's at home." Bridget kept walking. She didn't have the time or patience to deal with her today.

As she drove to her brother's house, she thought about what would be the best way to start the conversation. She hoped he had stopped drinking after Franky left last night, so that he would be completely sobered up by now. There was still a small part of her, deep down, that wanted to believe that the brunette had misinterpreted what she had seen. Bridget knew though about the past she had with her mother, and that clearly something had been triggered inside her.

When she pulled into Tim's drive, she could see a light on in the kitchen. She could do this, she'd done it before. She took a deep breath as she approached the door. The blonde raised her hand to knock, then decided to just go in. She found him sitting at the kitchen table with a mug of coffee.

"Want one?" he asked her, raising his mug.

"No thanks, I already had three this morning." She pulled out a chair, and sat down with him.

"How's Em?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the table.

"She's alright. I dropped her off at school on my way here." Bridget decided she'd give him a few minutes of small talk before she got to the point of her visit.

"And Franky?" He finally looked up, meeting her eyes.

"To be honest she's probably more upset than Em." The blonde leaned back in the chair, and crossed her legs. "What happened yesterday, Tim?"

"Bridge," he began, diverting his eyes back towards the floor. "I don't even know." She waited for him to continue. "There's just been so much lately. Everything just...after I lost Sarah, I just didn't know what to do anymore. Em wasn't herself, and I didn't know how to make her feel better. I know she misses her mother just like I do, probably more, and every time I look at her, I see Sarah. She looks more and more like her every day. Then all this stuff with work started. This project is way more than what they had first proposed. I thought the move here would be good for both of us. You know, a bit of a fresh start, and we'd be close to you. She loves you, Bridge. And Franky, too. I just don't know what to do." He covered his eyes with one hand, and started to sob.

Bridget reached out, taking the hand that was still around his coffee mug. "It's alright."

He shook his head. "I convinced myself I could control it this time. I'd just have one drink after work to unwind. That's what I told myself I could handle. Then one day, I thought I could have two, because it had been a really stressful day. Some nights now I lose count. I always make sure Em is in bed though."

"It's still affecting her." Bridget said quietly. Tim lowered his hand and looked at his sister. "You've forgotten to pack lunches for her. She's always hungry when she gets to my house, or Franky's class. I didn't think much of it before, but now I know why. She didn't want me to have a glass of wine one night when she was at my house. So she has at least some idea of what's going on. She's a smart girl."

"I didn't realize." He wiped his face.

"Tim," the blonde waited until he made eye contact with her. "You need to get help. Em needs you." He nodded. "And while you're doing that, I think it's best that she stays with us."

"Us?"

"Franky moved in with me a couple of weeks ago." Bridget smiled despite the current situation.

"Oh, hey, I didn't know, that's great though! I'm happy for you guys, really. And yeah, I think that would be really good. She loves staying with you guys, but just until I’m back on my feet. I want to be a good father for her." Bridget thought she could literally see the relief on his face.

"Of course. So I think today we should get you into an outpatient rehab. Then later on this evening, I'll bring Em over to get whatever things she wants to have while she’s staying with us. Or I can not bring her if you'd prefer?" Bridget wasn't sure if Tim was ready to talk to Emily yet. Either way she knew her and Franky would be having a talk with her niece later.

"You can bring her tonight to get her stuff, but I think I'd like to be out while you're here. I'll come drop by your place and have a talk with her, just not tonight. I'm not ready. I'd like to talk to Franky too. I think I made a bad impression on her." He got up and refilled his coffee.

"Em is going to want to know what's going on. Are you okay with me explaining things?" Bridget was more than willing to do it. She just needed to know that he was okay with her saying what needed to be said.

"Yeah. You'll do it better than I would. I've messed up enough with her already."

"It's nothing you can't fix. Do you want me to stay with you today and help you find a place to get some help?" Bridget asked.

"I think this is something I need to deal with on my own. You taking care of Em is plenty." He reached out and took her hand.

"Okay, I'm going to go to work then, and I'll let Em go with Franky after school like normal. The class tonight is over at five thirty, so we'll come by after that, okay?" She waited until he acknowledged her question with a nod. "If you need anything at all, call me." She gave him a hug and left for work.

She knew Franky would be anxious to know what was going on, so she decided to give her a quick call while she was driving to the prison. The brunette answered on the first ring.

“Gidge? What did he say?” Franky got straight to the point.

“He’s going to check into an outpatient rehab, and he’s agreed to let us look after Em until he’s back on his feet.” Bridget could hear the brunette let out the breath she was holding. “He said to bring her over tonight to get whatever she needs, but he’s not ready to talk to her. He wants to get some help first. So we have a long evening ahead. I’m just on my way to work now.”

“I was so scared he was just going to say he could handle this and want her back there. I want to come with you when you take her over there. I don’t care how late it is or anything.” Franky was committed, and she didn’t want Bridget or Emily to feel like they had to do this alone.

“I think I’ll meet up with you guys when your class is done and then we can all go over there. That way once we’re back at our house we can just settle in for the evening. I think she’s going to have some questions about everything.” The brunette was quiet on the other end of the line. “You alright, baby?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m good. I guess I’m just thinking about everything.” She had a million things running through her mind. “My class is about to start, but I’ll check in later, okay?”

“Sounds good. I love you.” Bridget knew the situation was messy, but she was glad Franky was there to help her.

“I love you too, babe.” The brunette said, hanging up the phone.

********

Franky just wanted her classes for the day to be over. She wanted to be home with Bridget and Emily, and know that they had gotten some things figured out today. The morning and early afternoon were the worst, and seemed to drag on forever. She only had a couple classes most mornings, and used the rest of that time to do prep work and things like inventory and ordering supplies. The majority of her classes were in the afternoon or early evening when everyone else was done work for the day. She and Liz were currently trying to come up with ideas for new classes to offer over the summer. It was her favourite semester to teach because the fact that kids were on school holidays, and most people had some time off work, meant that she could provide some class options that weren’t possible other times of the year.

She felt her mood lift when Emily showed up after school, and began to help her with the set-up for her final class of the day. After that, they’d meet Bridget, and pick up some things from Tim’s place.

“Am I staying with you and Auntie Bridge again tonight?” The young girl asked as her and Franky worked to get the food ready for the next class’s demo.

“Yeah, you are. Is that alright?” The brunette knew that, in reality, Emily didn’t have a choice right now, but she didn’t want to make her feel that way. The young girl nodded. “After this class, we’re going to meet Auntie at your house, so you can get some more clothes. All that was at her house were the ones you’re wearing today.”

“Can I get my teddy bear too? And my doll?” She asked, slicing a carrot.

“Sure, you can bring whatever you want.” Franky had a feeling the girl would be wanting to bring a lot of things with her as comfort once she found out she’d be staying with them for awhile.

After her last class for the day was over, the brunette texted Bridget so she could meet her and Emily at Tim’s house. When they arrived, the blonde’s car was already in the drive.

“Hey, love,” Bridget greeted Emily with a hug. “Hey, baby,” she stood up, giving Franky a short kiss.

Emily giggled.

“What’re you laughing at?” Franky asked with mock seriousness. The young girl shook her head. “Get in there.” The brunette playfully nudged the girl’s shoulder, laughing.

Once they were all in Emily’s room, Bridget sat on the bed, and motioned for the girl to come sit beside her. “ So Franky told you we were coming to get some more clothes for you, yeah?” Emily nodded. “I talked to your Dad this morning, and he asked if you could come stay with us again for a bit. Like you did when he was away for work.”

“Is he going away again?” She asked quietly.

Something about the way the girl asked the question got to Franky, and she could feel a tightness in her throat. She shifted her weight from where she had been leaning against the doorframe and cleared her throat, making Bridget look over at her. She shook her head and held up a hand, indicating to the blonde not to draw attention to her.

“No, he’ll be here, but he thinks it’ll be better if you’re with us, just for awhile.” Bridget didn’t want to get into the whole story just yet, but she wanted Emily to understand why she was going to pack so many clothes. “Would you like to help pick out some clothes to take with you?”

Emily just shrugged, so Franky walked over and sat beside her. “Would you rather pick out some fun stuff with Auntie to bring with you and I’ll look after the clothes part? You mentioned your teddy bear and doll earlier. Maybe bring some games for us to all play too?”

“Okay,” she hopped off the bed, and went over to the shelves that held her toys.

Franky grabbed a suitcase from the closet and set it on the bed. She wasn’t sure if Emily had favourite outfits or anything like that, so she just grabbed a variety of clothes and packed them neatly into the bag. They could always come back and pick up anything she’d missed. A few minutes later, the girl returned to the bed with two board games, a couple books, and her doll. The teddy bear she wanted was already on the bed. Franky placed the items into the suitcase along with the clothes.

“All ready?” she asked, looking at Bridget and Emily. They both nodded, so the brunette picked up the suitcase and they all headed for the door.

When they got to their house, Bridget helped Emily unpack her clothes. She felt like doing that right away would help her get settled in instead of her living out of her suitcase and always wondering which place she would be sleeping at each night. Franky went to work in the kitchen. She wanted to get supper over with so that they could all sit down and talk. She wasn’t looking forward to it, but it had to be done.

Emily returned from unpacking in the bedroom. “You want to help me grate the cheese?” Franky had opted for something she knew was one of the girl’s favorites, and was also quick and easy; mac and cheese.

“Okay,” she stepped up on the stool and took the block of cheese from the brunette.

Normally they chatted while they cooked together. Tonight though, they were both quiet. Franky knew that while Emily loved staying with them, and loved to help her cook, she was smart enough to have realized that something big was going on with her Dad.

********

After they had finished eating, Bridget and Franky were cleaning up in the kitchen.

“You ready?” The blonde asked quietly, rubbing her hand across Franky’s shoulders. The brunette nodded. “Em? Come sit with us for a minute, love.” Bridget sat down on the couch, and waited for Emily to come sit with her. The brunette waited until the girl had chosen her spot before she sat down beside her.

“Are we going to talk about my Dad?” she asked, settling further into the couch between the two women.

“Yeah, he wanted you to know what was going on.” Bridget reached out and moved a strand of hair out of the young girl’s face. “Your Dad hasn’t been feeling well for the last while. You probably noticed he’s been acting a bit different sometimes?”

Emily nodded, “He drinks stuff then sleeps a lot and gets sad.” Her eyes flicked over to the bottles in the small wine rack on Bridget’s counter.

“He’s decided that he doesn’t want to do that anymore. He wants to get better, because he loves you. So he’s going to see a special kind of doctor that helps people with that kind of problem.” The blonde didn’t want to go into too many details.

“But he’s still going to be here?” She looked to Franky, then Bridget.

“Yeah he’s still going to be here,” Franky reassured her. “He’ll come visit you.”

“If he wants to get better, that means he’s sick?” Bridget could see tears starting in the young girl’s eyes.

“In a way, but he’s going to get help.” Bridget reached out and rubbed the small blonde’s back, trying to comfort her before she got too upset.

“That’s what happened with my mom, but she didn’t come back.”

“Fu-“ Franky caught herself before the whole word came out in front of the girl, and wiped a tear off her own cheek.

“Franky?” The young girl pulled on Franky’s sleeve.

“I’m okay, bub,” she said, taking a deep breath.

“Is my Dad going to be okay?”

Franky didn't know how to answer. She didn't want to promise her that everything would be okay. She knew that was an impossible thing to predict. She also didn't want to upset her any more, and make her think something bad was going to happen to her father, especially after what had happened with her mother.

"Um, he's got people who love him very much, and who will help him as best they can. And you’ve got us. Okay?" She looked to Bridget for confirmation that she’d said the right thing. The blonde gave her a small nod.

“We’re going to make sure he gets what he needs.” Bridget added.

Emily nodded, and climbed into the blonde’s lap, resting her head on Bridget’s shoulder.

They sat in silence for a while until the blonde realized that Emily had fallen asleep. She caught Franky’s eye and pointed to the child, then down the hall, signalling that she was going to put her in bed. Franky nodded and went back to the kitchen to finish cleaning up from earlier.

When Bridget returned, she was carrying a cardboard box from her office. She sat it on the counter and began putting the bottles of wine inside, along with the few bottles of beer that were in the fridge. Franky didn’t need to ask what she was doing. When she was finished, the blonde carried the box into the bedroom and placed it in the back of the closet.

Franky was wiping the counter down when she came back.

“You alright, baby?” she asked, wrapping her arms around the brunette’s waist. Franky gave a quick nod. “Hey,” Bridget waited until Franky looked at her. “It’s been a long day, let’s go to bed.”

“Okay,” Franky said quietly, giving her a small kiss.

As they laid in bed, Franky felt Bridget move in closer to her, and nuzzle her cheek with her nose. The brunette opened her eyes. “I know this is hard for you, baby, but you’re doing exactly the right things with her.”

“I don’t know what I’m doing, Gidge.” Franky sighed. “I just keep remembering how I felt as a kid.”

“Mmm, but you do know. Whether you know it or not, you do. What you went through is guiding your actions with her now.”

“I never really told you.” The brunette whispered quietly.

“No, you didn’t other than what you said to Vera in my office that day. Aside from that, you’ve been vague.” She looked into the brunette’s green eyes. “But if or when you’re ready, I’ll listen.”

“I haven’t seen my dad since I was about Em’s age. He couldn’t handle my mom so he left, and left me with her. I always wondered why he never took me with him. Every time I heard a car drive by in the night, I’d get out of bed and run to the window to see if it was him coming back. It never was. Mom said he didn’t want me. She’d get mad and hit me, or burn me when she caught me looking for him. So when Em asked if Tim was leaving again, fuck, I don’t know, it just brought back all those feelings I had watching out the window for my own dad to come home.” She closed her eyes. “I know it’s not the same situation for her, but…” She trailed off.

“It’s close enough though, yeah?” Bridget said softly.

“Yeah.”

“We’ll get her through it.” The blonde gave her a small kiss and ran her fingers back and forth across the back of Franky’s shoulders. She felt the brunette sigh and start to relax. It wasn’t long before her breathing evened out and Bridget knew she was asleep. She watched her for a moment. The thought of someone doing to the brunette the things her mother did, made Bridget angry. She was glad Franky had made it through all of that to become the person she is today, and that she was here in Bridget’s life now. She felt her eyes get heavy, so she moved closer, into the crook of the brunette’s neck and let sleep come over her.


	32. Chapter 32

It was Friday morning, and Franky was going over the list of summer courses with Liz.

“So you’re doing the kid’s one again?” Liz asked, making sure everything was accurate so they could list them in the local paper.

“Yep, loved that one.” Franky smiled, chewing on the end of her pen.

“I’ve also got a pastry and desserts one, flavours of the world, a parent and child class, a couple’s class.” She flipped through the pages. “We should probably offer the safe food handling course again too. I’ve been getting requests for it, and it’s been awhile since we’ve had that one. You up for that?”

“Sure. We could probably fit in two groups for that. There’s no prep work, just teaching, so it doesn’t take as much extra time from me.” Franky added it to her notes.

“Alright. I’ll get this ready then and send it off to the paper. They’ll probably run it the first of the week.” Liz gathered up her papers. “How are things with the little one?”

“They’re okay I think. She’s staying with us while Tim does his rehab. She’s quieter than normal, but I think she’s just concerned about her dad.” Franky laid down her pen and leaned back in the chair. “She hasn’t come and got in bed with us this time yet though, which is usually what she does when she can’t sleep. So I assume she’s at least not waking up through the night.”

“You’re doing good, love. You both are.” She gave Franky a pat on the shoulder before she headed back to her office.

Fridays were Franky’s day to finish up early. She checked her watch, and figured she just had enough time to get home, then walk to the school to pick up Emily.

********

Franky arrived at the school about ten minutes early. As she stood waiting for Emily, she noticed a woman come out of the building, walking towards her with the young girl in tow.

“You must be Franky,” the woman said, extending her hand.

“I am.” The brunette shook the other woman’s hand.

“I’m Lisa Johns, the principal here at Newport Gardens.” She gave Franky a smile.

“Good to meet you.” The brunette looked down at Emily. “Uh, is she in trouble or something?”

Lisa gave a small laugh, “Oh, no. Em, can you play in the playground for a minute? I just want to have a quick chat with Franky.”

Franky took Emily’s school bag from her and the girl went over to sit on the swing set.

“I actually just wanted to introduce myself and say hello. Tim contacted me and said Em would be staying with Bridget and yourself again. I’ve met Bridget of course, and Em talks about you and her aunt a lot. I wanted to put a face to the name, so I thought it would be a good opportunity since she said you were picking her up today.” Lisa glanced over to where Emily was playing. “She said you’ve been teaching her how to cook. That you look after her after school most days.”

“Yeah, that’s actually how I met Bridget. She enrolled Em in one of my classes. My boss is really understanding and she’s a great kid, loves to help out, so she comes to the Centre after school and hangs out until I go home.”

“Excellent! I’ll let you two get going. It was nice to meet you.” Lisa gave her a pat on the arm and turned to go back into the school.

“Yeah, likewise.” Franky walked to the swing set. “You ready, bub?” She reached out to take the girl’s hand.

“Am I in trouble?” Emily asked as they walked home.

“No.”

“Why did Ms. Johns want to talk to you?” She looked up at Franky.

“Your dad told her you were staying with us. She knows Auntie Bridge, but not me, so she just wanted to say hi. Okay?” Franky looked down at her and she nodded, seemingly satisfied with the brunette’s answer.

When they got back to the house, the brunette changed into a pair of trackies and an old t-shirt.

“Why do you always change your clothes when you come home?” Emily asked, sitting on a stool in the kitchen.

“It’s more comfortable.” Franky grabbed a glass from the cabinet and turned on the tap.

“Can I wear my pyjamas?” The girl’s eyes lit up.

“Sure!” Franky sat down on the couch with her water.

When Emily returned, she had a book with her. “I’m supposed to read this to someone this weekend. Then you have to sign this.” She handed Franky a workbook that contained a log where the girl was supposed to keep track of when she read to someone.

“Okay, bub. Come sit and you can read it to me.” The brunette patted the spot beside her on the couch. “Maybe you can read it to Auntie Bridge later tonight too?” The girl nodded excitedly.

As Emily read, Franky helped her when she came to a word she wasn’t sure of. Overall though, she didn’t need much help, and the brunette could feel herself relaxing into the couch and her eyelids felt heavier by the second. She fought it though, not wanting to make Emily feel like she wasn’t listening to her. When the young girl came to the end of the story, she handed Franky the workbook and a pen, then picked up the remote for the TV, and turned on the cartoon channel. Franky signed the book, then placed it on the coffee table. Emily settled in beside her, and it wasn’t long before she felt her eyes start to close again.

When Bridget arrived home, she could hear the tv in the living room, but other than that, the house was quiet. No one greeted her, so she quietly walked down the hall and glanced around the corner. She couldn’t help but smile. Franky was sitting on the couch, feet on the coffee table, with Emily laying against her, and both were fast asleep.

She tried not to make too much noise as she discarded her shoes, and went down to the bedroom to change. On her way back to the kitchen, as she walked past Emily’s door, she saw her lunch bag on her bed along with her school bag. She knew there were probably dirty dishes in there, so she went in to grab it. It looked as though the young girl had gone through her bag to find something because there were some papers beside it on the bed. Most were notices from the school or newsletters, but one caught Bridget’s eye. It was the instruction sheet for the volcano project she had seen a couple of weeks ago. Emily must have either not told Tim or he’d forgotten about it. She looked at the date on it. It was due on Monday. She took the paper, along with the lunch bag, with her to the kitchen.

As she sat at the table looking through the list of things that were needed, she figured she had everything except the paint, and that should be easy enough to get. It was getting close to the time to start making dinner. She didn’t want to wake Franky, so she decided to look through one of the recipe books she had to see if there was something easy she could make for them. Worst case scenario, she’d use one of the meals from the freezer. She found a recipe for Spag Bol. It was one of her favourites, looked fairly easy, and she thought she had all the ingredients already.

She set to work, frying the ground beef and chopping the onions. Franky had been showing her a few things, and she was hoping this would be a nice surprise to have ready when the brunette woke up. The beauty of it was that she could let the sauce simmer until they woke up, then cook the spaghetti. She had the sauce almost done when she heard Franky stir on the couch.

The brunette carefully slid away from Emily, trying not to wake her. As soon as she woke up, she could smell something delicious, and hear Bridget in the kitchen. “Hey, babe,” she walked up behind the blonde, who was stirring the sauce on the stove, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “This smells really good. Can I try?” she asked, reaching for the spoon.

“Be gentle, baby,” Bridget said as Franky carefully blew on the sauce she had gathered on the spoon.

“Gidge! This is really good! You’re going to steal my job!” The brunette laughed as she stirred the sauce for the blonde.

Bridget shrugged, “It was easy, and you looked comfortable over there. You’ve been working hard lately, and looking after Em a lot. I wanted to help out.” She wrapped her arms around Franky’s neck.

“You know none of that is really work, right?” She smiled down at the blonde. “I love to cook and I love spending time with Em. My students call her ‘the little sous-chef’ now.”

“That’s adorable.” Bridget stretched up to give her a slow kiss. “I’ve missed this.”

“Making out in the kitchen?” Franky gave a small laugh.

“Mmm, just being able to take a minute and stop. I feel like there’s been so much going on lately.” She moved her fingers in the hair at the nape of the brunette’s neck.

“Maybe we can get her to sleep early tonight, and we can have some time, just you and me,” Franky said, glancing over towards the couch where Emily was still sleeping. Bridget gave her another kiss. The brunette smiled. “I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.”

The blonde gave her a quick nod, and started filling the pot with water to cook the spaghetti.

“What’s this, babe?” Franky picked up the paper about Emily’s school project.

“That’s Em’s project that’s due on Monday. I don’t know if Tim forgot about it or what, but either way it needs to be done. I just have to go get the paint for it in the morning. It looks kind of fun though.”

“I can run out and get that now. It’s not that far and I’ll be back by the time everything is ready. Then we can get an early start on it in the morning.” Franky was already on her way to get her wallet and keys.

“Sure, if you don’t mind.”

“Nah, it’s all good. I’ll be back in a few.” She gave Bridget a quick kiss, then headed out the door.

********

“Tim called while you were gone to the store to say he was planning to drop by tomorrow evening.” Bridget said, as she sat down on the couch beside Franky with the bowl of popcorn she’d made. They had been successful in getting Emily to bed at a fairly early hour after the blonde let her read her new book.

“He’s doing okay?” Franky asked, taking a few pieces from the bowl.

“I think so. He doesn’t talk about it a lot, but he’s sounding a little more happy. This one okay?” Bridget had found a movie she thought would be good.

“Yeah, sure.” The brunette had barely glanced up. She honestly didn’t care what they watched.

After a few minutes, Franky noticed that Bridget was trying to move in even closer. She reached out and touched the blonde’s hand. “You’re cold.”

“A little bit.”

“Just a minute.” The brunette got up and went to the other spare bedroom. She returned with the comforter from the bed.

Bridget smiled, and stood up. “Lay down on your back.”

Franky did as Bridget said, and after she was settled, with her head on the pillows that the blonde had placed at the end of the couch, Bridget laid down on top of her. She covered them with the comforter, and rested her head on Franky’s chest.

“You know, if you want to sleep, we can just go to bed.” The brunette gave a small laugh.

“Mmm, no, I just want to be close to you.” Bridget placed a small kiss on Franky’s collarbone, then laid her head down again.

The brunette wrapped her arms around the older woman, and trailed her fingers up and down the middle of her back. Every so often, she felt the blonde’s muscles twitch.

“Does that tickle?” Franky asked quietly.

“No. It feels nice.”

The brunette thought that Bridget may have fallen asleep until she felt the blonde’s hand creep down and then up under her shirt a few minutes later. She felt lips press against her collarbone, then the side of her neck. Bridget’s fingers traced over lines she now knew by memory.

“Gidge.”

Bridget slipped her hand under the waistband of Franky’s pants and let her fingertips brush over the younger woman’s clit through the thin fabric of her underwear. She felt the brunette’s pulse quicken under her lips. Franky turned her head and connected her lips with the blonde’s in a deep, long kiss. She felt Bridget shift a bit on top of her, and move her hand so it was now inside her underwear as well.

The blonde felt Franky’s leg quiver underneath her as she gathered wetness from her folds, and ran her fingers up and down over the younger woman’s clit. “Does that feel good?” Bridget whispered in her ear.

“Mmm, yes.” Franky squeezed her eyes shut as the blonde entered her with two fingers. “Fuck.”

Bridget knew the brunette’s neck was sensitive, so she let her lips trail up and down it as Franky threw back her head to allow the other woman more access. The blonde felt the tension building in the woman’s body beneath her. Franky was moving her hips to meet Bridget’s fingers, and each time they hit the deepest spot inside her, she let out a small moan. The blonde cupped her hand a bit so that every time the younger woman pushed her hips forward, her clit came into contact with Bridget’s palm.

Franky grabbed onto the back of Bridget’s shirt with one hand, and moved the other to cup the blonde’s butt, pulling her closer and encouraging her to push her fingers in harder. She felt Bridget nip at her neck then soothe it with her tongue as she thrust her fingers in a final time before her orgasm washed over her. She managed to stay quiet, save for one small moan right at the beginning.

After her body relaxed, she felt Bridget’s lips lightly brush against hers, and she opened her eyes. “Fuck, Gidge, you’re too good at that.” She gave a small laugh and pulled the blonde in for another kiss as the older woman slowly removed her fingers.

Bridget smiled. “I assume that’s a compliment.”

“Mmm, it definitely is.” Franky held onto the blonde as she turned them both over, switching their positions on the couch. She pulled the comforter back over them, and ran her hand down Bridget’s side. She continued down past her butt and around her thigh to the back of her knee, causing the blonde to hook her leg over Franky’s lower back. The brunette felt her push her hips upwards. “I was about to ask how you were doing, but I think I got the picture,” Franky said with a smirk on her face.

She placed a kiss on Bridget’s lips, then down the side of her neck, and on her chest until she got to the top of the blonde’s singlet. She raised herself up slightly and moved down, disappearing under the comforter. Bridget felt a hand on either side push her shirt up, and Franky’s warm lips leaving kisses all over her stomach. The brunette’s thumb brushed back and forth over the newly-healed tattoo, and she felt Bridget let out a shaky breath.

Franky hooked her fingers in either side of Bridget’s pants and underwear, and pulled them down to her knees. She wanted to give them at least a chance of being able to look like nothing was going on if Emily suddenly showed up. Above the comforter Bridget smiled. It reminded her of being back in high school, trying not to get caught by someone’s parents. That’s as far as the similarities went however, because her partners back then couldn’t compare to how Franky was currently making her feel. The brunette had wrapped her arm around Bridget’s left thigh, and moved her fingers over the skin where her leg met her hip.

The younger woman ran her tongue over Bridget’s folds a couple times before settling her lips in a wide circle around her clit. She flattened out her tongue and licked slowly up and down, occasionally flicking the tip of it across the small bundle of nerves. After only a moment, Bridget knew she wouldn’t last long. She tried to slow her body down a bit so she could enjoy a few extra moments of what Franky was doing to her. The muscles in her legs twitched, and she felt the brunette slow her pace a little bit. “Yes, baby,” she breathed out, and reached down to find Franky’s free hand, and laced their fingers together.

It wasn’t long before Bridget felt her muscles start to tighten again, and she knew this time it wouldn’t matter how slow Franky went. “Fuck,” she whispered, holding onto the brunette’s hand a bit tighter. She felt Franky’s fingers flex against hers in response. After a moment, Bridget was on the edge, and all it took was a few final movements of the brunette’s tongue to release all the tension in her body that had been building up. She wasn’t as successful as Franky had been at being quiet, but she heard no movement from the end of the hallway. When her body stilled, she felt the brunette pull her pants back up. Bridget raised her hips slightly to allow her to slide them back up around her waist. Franky emerged from under the covers with a big grin on her face and gave the blonde a kiss.

“Mmm, I tried to draw that one out a bit, baby, sorry.” Bridget gave a small laugh.

Franky smiled. “I know. Why do you think I slowed down? You weren’t the only one who was enjoying it.” She saw the blonde’s eyes starting to close. “We should go to bed, babe. Before we end up spending the night out here.”

“Mmm I’m sleepy.”

“I know, babe. That’s wh-“ Franky realized there was no use in trying to convince Bridget to get up.

The brunette stood up from the couch, and covered the older woman with the comforter. She walked down to the master bedroom and pulled down the covers. When she returned to the living room, she could tell that Bridget was already asleep. She placed the comforter on the other part of the L-shaped couch, and carefully picked up the blonde. She walked down the hall as quietly as she could and placed her in the bed before crawling in beside her.

“See, we can sleep out here, it’s comfortable.” Bridget mumbled as Franky moved in behind her, and put her arms around the blonde.

“Yep, sounds good.” The brunette smiled and closed her eyes.

********

Emily woke early the next morning thanks to the fact she'd slept for most of the previous afternoon and all night. Bridget heard the young girl's bedroom door open. The blonde listened as she heard her niece walk down the hall, and out into the living area. She assumed Emily was looking for either her or Franky. A moment later, Bridget heard footsteps returning, and heard the sound of their own bedroom door being opened. She knew they needed to get a start on the girl's project, but she also felt like another hour of sleep wouldn't hurt. She kept her eyes closed, and hoped that maybe Emily, thinking that they were both still asleep, would just climb into the bed and lay down with them.

"Auntie Bridge," Emily reached out and touched Bridget's hand. The blonde tried to stay still and not react. “Auntie Bridge?” Emily pulled on her hand a bit harder this time.

Bridget knew the girl wouldn’t give up easily, and she didn’t want her to wake Franky, so she opened her eyes. “Good morning, love,” she whispered, and saw Emily looking back at her. “You want to lay down here for a bit? It’s pretty early.”

“Is Franky asleep too?” The girl stretched to look behind Bridget.

“Yeah, she is.” The blonde lifted the comforter a bit.

Emily thought for a second then climbed in. “I’m not sleepy.”

“I know.” Bridget put her arm around her niece.

The blonde was almost back to sleep when Emily spoke again. “When are we having breakfast?”

Bridget sighed. She knew there was no way she was getting any more sleep this morning. “Let’s get up and get some now.”

Franky had woken up while Bridget was making eggs and toast for breakfast. "Morning, babe," she said, giving Bridget a kiss on the cheek as the blonde stirred the eggs in the pan. "Em." She ruffled the girl's hair as she took a seat with her at the table.

"Auntie Bridge said she and I are going to make this after breakfast." Emily handed Franky the instruction sheet for the volcano project.

"Looks like fun, bub! We can test it out when it's all done!" Franky threw her hands open and mimicked an explosion sound as Emily giggled. She caught Bridget's look from the kitchen. "Outside, we'll test it outside."

********

Just as Franky was clearing the table, there was a knock at the door.

"Tim, hey you're early!" Bridget greeted him with a hug.

"Yeah, I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. I figured you wouldn't mind."

"Not at all. It's actually perfect. I was just about to help Em with something for school, but I think it would be nice if the three of us could do it." She wanted Tim to be able to still be involved in Emily's life even though she was living with them at the moment. She knew that an important part of recovery was making amends and rebuilding relationships with loved ones.

"Sounds good. Is Franky around though? I'd really like to talk to her first." He took off his sunglasses and put them in his shirt pocket. Bridget noticed that he still looked tired.

"Yeah, she's in the kitchen." The blonde closed the door and followed him into the house.

"Dad!" Emily ran to give her father a hug.

Franky glanced behind her. She said hello to Tim, then went back to putting the dishes in the dishwasher. It wasn't that she didn't like him, she did, but right now he was reminding her of everything bad about her childhood.

Tim walked to the end of the counter, and waited a minute before he cleared his throat and spoke. "Franky, um, I was wondering if we could talk for a minute? Maybe out on the patio?"

The brunette looked to him then to Bridget. "Yeah, sure." She closed the dishwasher, and followed him outside.

"I just wanted to apologize for the other night, for the state I was in when you got there. I knew you were bringing Em back that night, and I shouldn't have been drinking. I put you in an awkward position. You made the right call, bringing her back here, so I also wanted to say thank you. I'm glad that Em has another person who cares about her, and Bridge too." He looked to the ground, then out across the small backyard.

"I'm just glad you're getting help. My mother was a drinker, so it kind of hit close to home for me." She crossed her arms. She didn't like talking about her past, especially to someone she didn't know that well, but she felt like she needed to tell Tim that she knew what Emily was experiencing.

"Your mother, she got through it? Got some help and got better?" he asked.

"Dunno." she shrugged and looked back into the house, then at the fence behind Tim.

"Okay, uh, I'll let you get back to whatever I interrupted." He slid the door open, and waited for her to go back inside before he followed.

"So what's this project?" Tim looked at the table where Bridget had gathered the supplies they'd need to make the volcano with Emily, and the two of them were waiting for him to return so they could start.

"Volcano!" Emily said excitedly.

"I made one of these when I wasn't much older than you." He picked up the info sheet. "How come you didn't tell me about this? It says it's due Monday and you had two weeks to do it."

"I did," Emily said quietly. "You were sad that day. You said we'd do it later, but we never did."

Bridget saw Franky, out of the corner of her eye, stop what she was doing in the kitchen and look over. The blonde rubbed Emily's shoulder soothingly, "It's okay, we'll get it done now, love."

********

An hour later and the volcano was sitting out on the patio table, drying in the late morning sun. Tim had said he needed to talk with Bridget, so Franky decided that her and Emily could go to the store and pick up some things she needed for a recipe she wanted to try that night.

"So how have you been?" Bridget asked, sitting down on the couch.

"Good. Yeah, I'm feeling a bit better, more like myself. I've got a ways to go through for sure. How about you?"

"I'm good. Great, actually. I'm really happy." She couldn't help the smile that came across her face. "I love having Franky here."

"Great." Tim smiled back. "I actually have something kind of important that I want to talk to you about." He took a deep breath.

"Is everything okay?" Bridget sat up and turned a bit so she was facing him.

"Yeah, everything's good. I just don't really know how this type of conversation is supposed to go." He let out a nervous laugh. "You remember how Sarah and I had a bit of trouble getting pregnant when we decided to have Em?" Bridget nodded. "When we were going through that process, we looked into doing in-vitro. In the end, we didn't have to go that route, but we were prepared to. I was going over some paperwork the other day, you know, with having the new house and everything, and I found papers we got from the sperm bank. We have the option every couple years to renew the storage contract and it was coming due so I paid it for another two years. It's not something I'll be needing anymore. Actually, I kind of forgot that it was even still there. But anyway, what I was thinking is that if someday you wanted to have kids, and your partner was going to be the one to carry the baby, then maybe it would be something you'd like to use. It would be a way for you to both be genetically related to the child." Tim held up his hands. "I know that's not important, there's more to being a parent than genetics, but if it's something you'd like, then I'd like to offer that to you."

Bridget just sat and looked at him. She didn't know what she felt. So many thoughts were in her head at that moment. She had never really thought about whether she wanted to have kids or not. It had never seemed like the right time, or that she was with the right person for that.

"Bridge?" Tim reached out and took her hand, pulling her from her thoughts. "You don't have to say anything right now, okay? That’s why I just went ahead and renewed it, so you wouldn’t feel any pressure. You’ve got at least two years now. Think about it when you're ready. The offer will be there."

She nodded slowly. "Okay. Are you sure though? This is a big thing. I'm not saying yes or no. I just need to know that you've fully thought about this, because I definitely need time to think about it."

"I've thought about it. I think you'd be a great mom if it's something you want."

"That means a lot." She smiled at him.

They talked for a few more minutes before they heard the front door open, and Franky and Emily returned from the store.

"Can we have the ice cream now?" Emily asked.

"No, it's for dessert after supper." Franky sat the bag of groceries on the kitchen island.

"I just want to try a bit." The young girl stepped in front of the brunette as she was putting away the items they had bought.

"Em.' Franky stopped and looked at her. "We agreed it was for after supper, yeah?" The small blonde nodded. "Okay, let me finish putting this away, then we'll check and see how the volcano is drying."

Tim caught Bridget's eye and smiled as he stood up. "I should be going. It was good to see everyone." He nodded to Franky, and said goodbye to Emily before he left.

********

Bridget laid in bed that night watching Franky sleep. The brunette had drifted off quickly. Bridget studied her face, thinking about Tim's offer. Would Franky make a good wife? A good mother? She smiled thinking back to that night at Wentworth..._'I promise I'm going to marry you someday'_. She found it ironic that such a happy memory could come from a place like that. And finally, she thought of all the times she had watched Franky spend with her niece.


	33. Chapter 33

It was Monday morning, and Franky had just arrived at the Centre. She was in the process of unpacking her bag when Liz showed up at her office door.

“Good morning, love. How was your weekend?” she asked, placing a copy of the local paper down on the brunette’s desk.

“Uh, it was good. Em had a school project to do, and Tim dropped by on Saturday.” Franky picked up the paper and flipped through the first few pages. “What’s this?”

“That is this morning’s copy of the newspaper. Our listing for the summer classes made it in already. Thought you might want to have a look.” Liz sat down on the couch.

Franky flipped through until she came to the community section. “Liz! Why did you do that??” The brunette turned the paper around and pointed to the picture of herself beside the class listings.

The other woman shrugged. “Listings with pictures get more attention.”

“I don’t want attention. I like quiet. Peace and quiet.” Franky dropped the paper back onto her desk.

“Ah, don’t worry, love. It’ll be fine.” Liz got up off the couch and gave her a playful smack on the arm on her way out.

Franky looked down at the paper laying on her desk. “At least she picked a good picture,” she mumbled to herself.

********

Vera sat the newspaper down on the lunch table as she sat down to eat with Bridget.

“Did you see this?” she asked, turning the paper so it was facing the right way for the blonde to read it.

Bridget gave a small laugh. “Oh she’s going to be so happy there’s a picture with it. Liz must have snuck that in there.” She quickly scanned down through the list of classes. She and Franky had discussed some ideas, but she wasn’t sure which ones she and Liz had ended up choosing aside from the kids one, and the parent and child one. The brunette had been pretty set on those two. “I was thinking of asking Tim if he wanted to do the parents and kids one with Em. I think it would be good for them.”

Vera nodded as she chewed. “How is he doing?”

“Good, I think. He doesn’t like to talk about it much. He came by on the weekend and talked to Franky for a minute then helped Em with a school project. He didn’t stay for long after that though.” Bridget sighed. “He still looked really tired. He said he’s in a rehab program though, and I’ve made it very clear that he can come to me for anything. Now I think the rest of it will just take time.”

“Of course. Him visiting and spending time with Em has to be a good sign though.”

“Yeah, she really enjoyed it, I think.” Bridget let her eyes scan over the article again, and a small smile came to her face.

“What’s the smile for?” Vera asked.

Bridget shook her head. “She looks good in the jacket. Reminds me of the first time I met her.”

“Love at first sight,” Vera said half jokingly, and gave a small laugh.

Bridget was silent for a moment and her friend thought maybe she had said something wrong until the blonde spoke. “Yeah, I think maybe it was.”

Vera watched her for a moment, and sensed that she was getting a bit emotional. “Are you alright?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah, yeah I’m good,” Bridget took a deep breath. “There’s just been a lot going on, a lot on my mind lately.”

“If there’s anything I can do, or if you need to talk, let me know.” Vera reached out, covering her friend’s hand with her own.

“Thanks, Vera. I really do appreciate it.” Bridget smiled warmly. “I should be getting back to my office though. I have an appointment scheduled in ten minutes.” She gave Vera’s shoulder a squeeze on the way by.

********

Franky’s last class of the day had been focused on putting the finishing touches on pastries and cakes. She had the students practice making flowers with icing, and decorations out of melted chocolate. That was the class that Emily had been there for, and the brunette was pretty sure that the young girl had eaten more of the demo icing and chocolate she’d been given than she had actually used trying to make her own decorations. Needless to say, by the time they had arrived back at the house, Emily was almost literally bouncing from one end of it to the other.

“Hey Em.” Franky put her arm out to catch the girl as she ran by. “No running in the house. You’ll get hurt or something will get broken. Hey, how about we go to the Lakes Reserve and have a bit of a walk?”

The Newport Lakes Reserve was almost directly behind the house. A few times while Franky was recovering from her injuries, she liked to go and walk along some of the trails. She found that once she was a couple minutes walk into the woods, it felt like she was miles outside the city. Right now she thought it would be a good place for Emily to run around a bit and burn off some energy before supper.

The young girl nodded enthusiastically. “Okay, go change out of your school clothes, and then we can go.” Franky let her go and she ran down the hall to her room to change. The brunette sighed and went to the master bedroom to change her own clothes.

When they got to the trails, Franky walked while Emily would run ahead and then back to the brunette. Franky figured the girl had to be running at least 4 times further than she was walking with all the trips she was making back and forth.

Emily ran back to her. “Let’s have a race.”

“A race to where?” Franky wasn’t sure she was up for it.

“Around to that bench on the other side of the pond.” The young girl pointed across the small body of water.

The brunette scanned the path that led there, and decided it was probably something that she could manage. “Alright. Ready?” Emily nodded. “Set….go!”

Franky decided to pace herself. In all honesty, she wasn’t trying to win, but she did at least want to be able to finish and not collapse in a gasping mess somewhere along the way. When she worked out she didn’t usually focus on cardio, but more on strength, and she was definitely feeling it now. Emily was ahead of her and they were coming around the final corner of the path. The brunette decided to try to catch up and at least make the girl think she was in danger of losing. Franky picked up her pace, and a few meters from the finish line, realized her mistake.

She hadn’t been breathing too hard for most of the way, but she certainly was when she tried to catch Emily. Her ribs may have seemed fully healed if she was only doing everyday things, but after a few deep breaths, she felt a sharp pain in her side. She slowed down, walking the last few steps, and sitting down in the grassy area beside the pond.

“Franky.” Emily sat down beside her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, bub. I think I just pulled a muscle. I just need a minute to catch my breath.” She laid back on the cool grass, and Emily laid down beside her. They spent a few minutes picking out shapes in the clouds, until the pain in Franky’s side had gone away. She checked her watch. It was almost time for supper. “We should go home now. Gidge will be there soon.” The brunette said, getting up off the ground.

“Why do you call her ‘Gidge’? That’s not her name.” Emily asked as they made their way around the rest of the pond, finishing the loop of the trail they were on.

“It’s a nickname. It rhymes with Bridget. You know, like ‘Gidget’, ‘Bridget’, ‘Gidge’, ‘Bridge’, like that.”

She thought for a minute, “Do I have a nickname?”

“Kind of. People call you ‘Em’ instead of ‘Emily’.”

Emily was quiet for a couple of minutes. “So what do people call you instead of ‘Franky’? She never remembered anyone calling the brunette by anything else.

“Nothing. ‘Franky’ is already the short version of my name.” She was hoping the girl wouldn’t ask what her full name was, because she wasn’t fond of it.

“What is it short for?”

Franky sighed, “Francesca.”

“That’s pretty.” Emily said with a smile.

“I don’t like it. Let’s stick to ‘Franky’, okay?”

“Can I give you a nickname?”

“Like what?” Franky narrowed her eyes at the young girl, and Emily giggled.

“Frank?”

“That’s just a shorter version of the already short version.” The brunette gave a small laugh.

“Hank?” Emily looked up at her.

“ ‘Hank’? Seriously? Where did you come up with that?” They had come to the last intersection before the house, and Franky stopped to check for traffic before they continued.

“It rhymes with ‘Frank’.” The young girl laughed.

Franky couldn’t help but laugh as well. “No. Get going.” She playfully shoved Emily’s shoulder, and the girl ran the final few meters to the house.

Bridget heard the door open and Emily, then Franky come in.

“Hey, guys! Where were you?” Bridget greeted them, giving Emily a hug and Franky a quick kiss.

“We went to the park!” Emily still seemed to have some energy left, but Franky figured she’d crash soon after the sugar overload wore off.

“The Lakes Reserve.” Franky nodded in the direction of the reserve. “What are you thinking for supper, babe?”

Bridget opened the fridge and looked over the contents. “There’s some leftovers from the other night. Does that sound okay?”

“Works for me.” Franky took off her shoes and carried them back out to the hallway.

Emily took off towards her room, and Bridget gave Franky a questioning look when she came back into the kitchen. “Where’s all that energy coming from?”

“Uh, she may have had a lot of sugar at the class today. I tried to tire her out at the reserve, but I think that worked on me, not her.” The brunette gave a small laugh. “She’s gonna crash hard though when it wears off.”

Bridget smiled and looked around the corner, down the hall. “Em?” The girl stuck her head out the door of her room. “Why don’t you shower and put your pjs on before we eat?” Emily disappeared into her room again, and a few minutes later the blonde heard the water running in the bathroom.

“How was your day, babe?” Franky asked, taking the stack of plates out of the cabinet, and placing them on the table.

“It was alright. I saw your picture in the paper.” She walked over to Franky, and put her arms around the brunette’s neck.

“That picture was all Liz’s idea.”

“It’s a good picture.” Bridget gave her a kiss.

“You like it? Maybe it’ll boost enrolment.” Franky laughed.

“Yeah I like it. Every time I see you in your jacket, I think of the first time we met.” The blonde gave her another kiss on the side of her neck.

“Be warned, Gidge. Em isn’t the only one who needs a shower.”

Bridget laughed. “It’s fine, baby.”

They stood there for a few moments, sharing small kisses and talking about their days, until they heard the water turn off in the shower.

“I should shower.” Franky gave the brunette a final kiss. “If she’s really tired, you guys can eat, and I’ll have mine when I get out.”

“I’m sure we can wait a few minutes. It’s not even warmed up yet.”

“Okay, I won’t be long.”

********

Franky was right, Emily was asleep not long after they’d eaten supper. One minute she was sitting on the couch with them watching TV, and the next she was laying down asleep, so Bridget carried her to bed.

The brunette was laying in bed, answering an email from Liz, while she waited for Bridget to finish in the bathroom and come to bed. She was just finishing up when the blonde came in and laid down beside her. Franky reached over and put her phone on the bedside table as Bridget snuggled into her side. She wrapped an arm around the older woman.

Bridget was quiet for a minute. “I think this is my favourite time of the day.”

“Mine too, babe. It’s when we usually talk.”

The blonde lifted herself, and moved up the bed a bit so that she was more face to face with Franky. “Speaking of that, Tim kind of brought up something weird when he was over the other day.”

“What was that?” Franky looked at the blonde, concerned.

“Nothing bad. It just kind of caught me off guard. Um.” Bridget wasn’t sure how to begin, so she just decided to start at the first like Tim had. “Okay, so when he and Sarah wanted to have Em, they found out that Sarah had a condition that was going to make it hard for her to conceive naturally. They thought they were going to have to do in-vitro, and they had started that process then found out that she was pregnant with Em. Tim had already had his sperm frozen as the first part of the procedure.” She paused and took a deep breath. She wasn’t sure how Franky was going to react to the next part. “He said that it’s still there, at the clinic, frozen. He’s offered it to me if my partner and I ever want to have kids someday, and she’s going to carry the baby.” Franky was quiet, and the blonde couldn’t read her expression. “Are you okay, baby? I know it’s a lot, I just didn’t feel right not talking to you about it.”

“Yeah, I am. I mean, I think I just had a million thoughts all come into my mind at once, but I’m okay.” Franky let out a sigh.

“I know we’re nowhere near the point of thinking about anything like this, but I didn’t feel like it was a decision I should make on my own since I’m with someone it could potentially affect.” Bridget pushed some hair back from the brunette’s face.

“You’d want to have kids with me?” Franky looked over at her.

“I mean, not tomorrow.” she gave a small laugh and the brunette smiled. “But maybe in the future, yeah.”

“I never thought about having kids. I’ve never been in a relationship that was even close to something that serious. I don’t even know if you could call them relationships. They were more like three or four night stands.” Franky was quiet for another minute. “I don’t know if I’d be a good mother. I never had one to teach me those things.”

“Baby, you’re so good with Em. It was one of the things that attracted me to you.” The brunette raised her eyebrows. “No, really, it was. It showed what kind of person you were.” Bridget gave her a small kiss.

“I was just cooking with her while we waited for you.”

“You didn’t see the shy, quiet Em, did you?” Bridget leaned on her elbow.

“A little, yeah, when she first came in. That’s why I put her with Liz for the class. I figured that was pretty normal for some kids.” Franky shrugged.

“It is, but what you didn’t know is that I figured she wouldn’t even make it through the first class, and she’d be so upset that you’d be calling me to come pick her up. So I was surprised when you agreed to keep her for the extra time. When I walked in and saw you joking with her, and laughing, I knew you were someone special. It took her years worth of visits before she’d even talk to Vera.”

“She’s a good kid though. What if we end up with one like me?” The brunette picked at a piece of lint on her shirt.

“One like you?” Bridget asked, tilting her head.

“Yeah, a bad one.”

“You weren’t a bad kid, Franky. You had an abusive mother, and when you left home to get away from her, you did what you had to do.” She reached out and placed her hand on the brunette’s cheek and gave her a soft kiss. “Okay?”

Franky nodded. “Like I said, it’s just something I haven’t thought about before, and these are all the things that came into my head when you said that.”

“You know, I’ve never really thought about having kids either. It never seemed like the right time, or the right place, to bring it up, or that I was with the right person. It’s definitely not something to decide now, or overnight, or even in a few weeks or months. There’s no pressure, alright? I just didn’t want to keep it from you. Hell, I’m not even sure if it’s something I’d want. Looking after Em is one thing. She’s a bit older and somewhat independent. It’s a whole different situation with a baby.” Bridget let herself fall back down on the bed and let out a long breath.

“You’d be a good mum, Gidge.”

“Yeah that’s what people keep telling me.” She gave a small laugh. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Franky wipe a tear from her face. She turned to face the brunette again. “Baby, you alright?”

“Yeah.”

“If either of us decide we don’t want to do this for any reason, I’m okay with that. You can say no right now if you want, either because you don’t want to do it at all or you don’t want Tim involved, and it’ll be okay.” Bridget rubbed her hand back and forth across the brunette’s stomach to try to soothe her a bit.

“I’m not saying no.” Franky turned her head to look Bridget in the eye. “I’m not saying ‘yes’ either right now, but I’m not saying ‘no’. I think that’s part of what’s overwhelming to me, the fact that my brain didn’t immediately scream ‘no’ when you brought it up. I wouldn’t really care who the father was, so it wouldn’t bother me if it was Tim. It would be our kid either way. The idea of having a kid with you doesn’t freak me out, and that’s kind of scary in a way to me, if that makes sense.”

“Yeah it does, baby. It’s a bit scary to me too.”

Franky took Bridget’s hand, that was on her stomach, and brought it to her lips, giving it a small kiss before lacing their fingers together. They must have drifted off not long after that because the next thing they knew, they were woken up by someone pounding on the door.

“Ms. Westfall, this is the police, please open the door! We need to speak with you!”


	34. Chapter 34

“What the fuck?” Franky sat up in bed.

Bridget was already up and halfway to the bedroom door. “You check on Em. I’ll see what’s going on.”

Franky walked to the girl’s bedroom, and quietly opened the door just enough that she could see her lying in the bed still asleep. She heard Bridget open the front door. It sounded like there were two cops. The brunette quietly closed Emily’s door again, and made her way to the front entrance.

When Bridget opened the door, she was met with two uniformed police officers. “Good evening, are you Bridget Westfall?” one of them asked.

“Yes.” She found herself wishing she had put on her robe. It wasn’t cold out, but she suddenly felt chilly.

“Do you mind if we come in for a minute?”

“Yeah, sure.” The blonde stepped aside, and allowed the two officers to enter the house.

“She’s still asleep,” Franky said, coming up behind Bridget.

“Ma’am,” the officer acknowledged the brunette then shifted his attention back to Bridget. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, Ms. Westfall, but your brother, Tim, was in a car accident earlier tonight. When the ambos arrived they freed him from the car, but were unable to revive him. I’m so sorry.”

Bridget just stood there. Franky couldn’t see her face. She put her arm around the blonde. “I’m here, babe,” she said quietly.

“Are, uh, are you sure it’s him?” Bridget’s voice was a bit shaky. The brunette rubbed her hand up and down the other woman’s arm.

“Yes ma’am. We found his wallet with ID in it.” The officer reached into his pocket and pulled out Tim’s wallet in a plastic evidence bag. It was open to show his driver’s license.

Bridget nodded her head as she looked at the ID, and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Um, do you know what happened?”

“It was a single vehicle accident. It’s possible he just lost control of the car. We’ll know more once the forensics people are done at the scene.” The officer shifted uncomfortably. “There is one other thing.” He took a notebook from his pocket and flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for. “Our database shows that he has a daughter, Emily, age five. We have no other adult listed at the residence and she wasn’t in the car. Do you know where she is?”

“She’s here. She’s…” The blonde said quietly, trailing off. The realization hit her that she was going to have to tell her niece that her father was gone. That she’d lost both of her parents in less than a year. She started to cry.

The brunette pulled Bridget closer. After a moment, she realized that the officer was still waiting for the rest of the blonde’s sentence. “She’s been staying here with us for the past few weeks. Her dad was having some problems so he asked us to look after her for a while.”

“What kind of problems?”

Bridget took a deep breath. “Alcohol. He was in a rehab program.”

The officer wrote something in his notebook. “You’re okay with her staying here for the time being?” Franky and Bridget both nodded their heads. “Okay. Here’s my card if you have any questions. We’ll be in touch for follow-up in a couple of days. Again, I’m really sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you.” Bridget took the card from him, and closed the door after he left. She turned back towards Franky, staring at the card in her hand.

“Babe?” The brunette reached out and touched her hand that was holding the card. She got no response. “Gidge?” Bridget reached up and covered her eyes as the tears started again. “Hey, come here.” Franky wrapped her arms around her and held her tight. “Come on, let's go sit on the couch.”

The blonde allowed Franky to lead her into the living room. The brunette took the officer’s card from her hand and placed it on the kitchen island on the way by. She grabbed a blanket off the end of the couch and put it around Bridget’s shoulders as she sat down beside her.

“Do you need anything, babe?” Franky asked, sitting down beside her.

“No.” Bridget shook her head. “Just come here.” The blonde lifted one side of the blanket, and Franky moved in closer taking Bridget in her arms again. “Do you think he was drinking?”

“Uh.” The brunette knew there was a possibility that he was, but she didn’t want to assume the worst. “He was doing good in rehab, yeah? He seemed okay when he was here the other day. As shitty as it is, sometimes accidents just happen. We can’t know anything for sure until the cops finish with their investigation.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I just keep thinking over everything and wondering if I missed something.” When she turned to Franky again there were more tears running down her face. “I don’t know how to tell her. How do you tell a five year old that now she’s lost both parents?”

Franky reached out and wiped away the tears on both of Bridget’s cheeks with her thumb. “I don’t know, Gidge, but we’ll figure it out, okay? I’ll be right there with you if that’s what you want.”

“Yeah. I do. I don’t want to do it alone.”

“She’s staying with us, right?” Franky asked suddenly.

“Of course, baby.” Bridget took the brunette’s hand between both of hers.

“I don’t want her to go anywhere or in foster care or something, even for a short while.” Franky knew she was being irrational. Bridget was here, so of course Emily wouldn’t have to go anywhere, but she needed reassurance.

“She’s not going anywhere. I promise. It’s in his will. Even before Sarah passed away, they had it put in there that if something happened to both of them while she was still a minor then I would get full custody of her.”

“Okay, I just, I don’t know, my mind went there.” The brunette wiped her face.

“It’s okay, baby. You love her and you want her to be safe and protected. I get it.” She gave Franky a small kiss. “I promise she’ll stay here with us.” Franky nodded. “We should let her sleep for now. It’s going to be a long day once she wakes up, and I need some time to digest everything before we talk to her.”

“Yeah, good idea.” The blonde snuggled into her more. “Do you want to stay out here or go back and lay in bed? I know you’re not going to sleep, but you should rest while you can.” Franky knew as soon as they were dealing with Emily, they’d both feel emotionally exhausted.

“You’ll come lay with me?” Bridget asked.

“Absolutely.” Franky kissed her head.

“Okay, yeah, let’s go lay down. I’ll need to call Vera in a few hours and let her know I won’t be in. I should let the school know too. Are you going to work?” Bridget’s mind was wide awake as she walked back to the bedroom.

“Definitely not. I’ll call Liz in the morning.” Franky pulled back the covers for them for the second time that night.

Bridget laid down and the brunette went to the other side and got in behind her. She moved in close behind the blonde, and wrapped her arms around her. She gave her a small kiss on the back of the shoulder.

“Tighter.” Bridget said, so quietly that Franky wasn’t sure she heard her.

“Hmm?”

“Hold me tighter.” The blonde said a bit louder.

Franky tightened her arms around the smaller woman. “Is this okay?”

“Yeah.” They laid in silence for a moment before Bridget spoke. “I love you.”

“I love you too, babe.”

********

Bridget felt like she had laid there awake all night, but in reality she must have been drifting in and out of sleep because the next thing she knew she saw the sky start to come light with the morning sun.

“You awake?” she whispered softly. If Franky was asleep, she didn’t want to wake her.

“Yeah.” Came the soft reply from behind her.

“I’m going to call Vera. Have you talked to Liz?” The blonde reached for her phone.

“Yeah, I texted her earlier. I didn’t want to wake you by getting up or being noisy, so I just told her we were alright but there was a family emergency and I’d call her later.” Franky rubbed her eyes, and stretched as Bridget sat up on her side of the bed. She watched the blonde’s back as Bridget sat looking at the screen on her phone, not clicking on Vera’s number. “Do you want me to call her?”

She took a deep breath. “I can do it, but thank you.” Bridget clicked on Vera’s number, and waited while it rang.

“Hello?”

The blonde was glad that it didn’t sound like she had woken up her friend. “Uh, Vera, I uh…” She trailed off, and immediately felt Franky’s hand on her back, thumb moving back and forth.

“Are you alright?” Vera’s voice held concern for Bridget.

“Yeah.” The blonde took a deep breath. “The cops came here last night, and said that Tim had been in an accident. They said they got him out of the car, but they weren’t able to revive him.” She had said it all at once, afraid that if she stopped, she wouldn’t be able to start again.

“Oh. Oh my god, Bridget.” She could hear Vera trying to figure out what to say next. “Do you need anything? Is there anything I can do? Is Em…is she okay?”

“She’s fine, she was here with us. She’s still sleeping actually. We haven’t told her yet.” She took another breath. “I think we’re okay here for now. I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be in for the next few days.”

“Yes, of course. If you think of anything you need, or if you just need someone to talk to, call me.”

“I will. Thanks, Vera. I need to go, Em will be waking up soon.” They said goodbye, and Bridget dropped her phone onto the bed.

Franky came over to sit beside her on the edge of the bed. “Should we go get her?”

Bridget nodded. “I’ll do it.”

As she stood up and headed to Emily’s room, Franky went out into the kitchen. She put on a pot of coffee, thinking to herself that it would probably be one of many that would get made over the next few days.

“Em, love,” Bridget said, running her hand over the girl’s shoulder. “It’s time to wake up.”

“It’s time for school?” Emily asked, sleepily.

“You’re not going to school today. I need you to come out to the living room with me and Franky, okay?” Bridget gave her a kiss on the head, and left her to get up and come join them.

“Here, babe.” Franky handed her a mug of coffee when she got to the kitchen.

“Thanks,” she said, taking a sip.

They sat on the couch waiting for Emily. The brunette reached out and put her arm around Bridget. It was only a couple of minutes before they heard the girl’s bedroom door open.

“We got this,” she whispered, giving the blonde a squeeze and a kiss on the temple.

“Come here, love.” Bridget sat her mug on the coffee table and held open her arms, signalling for Emily to come sit on her lap. The girl sat down, and the blonde put her arm around her, pulling her closer. “We need to tell you something, and it’s serious, okay? And if you have any questions, you can ask us whenever you want.” Emily nodded. “Last night a police officer came, and he told us that your dad had been in an accident in his car. He was hurt, and a lot of people tried to help him, but they couldn’t. Love, I’m so sorry, but he passed away.”

“Like my mom?” The tears were starting to form in the young girl’s eyes, and Bridget saw her lip quiver.

“Yeah, love.” The blonde waited for a moment while Emily let that fully sink in. After a few seconds, the tears started, and she buried her face against Bridget’s neck and chest. She wrapped her arms around her niece.

Franky reached over and wiped Bridget’s cheeks before swiping her hand across her own. She didn’t know what to say. This was all new to her, and quite frankly, it was a situation she never would have imagined she’d ever be in. She was heartbroken for both of them.

Bridget ran her hand through Emily’s hair, moving it back out of her face. “Is there anything you want to ask us, love?”

“Why?”

“You mean why did it happen?” The blonde felt Emily nod. She glanced over at Franky. “It was just an accident.”

“Am I going to live here now?” The girl asked quietly.

Out of the corner of her eye, Bridget could see Franky nodding her head. “Yeah. Yeah, you’re going to stay right here,” the blonde said, hugging her niece a bit tighter.

“Promise?” Emily asked, lifting her head to look at Bridget

“Yeah, I promise. We’re family.” The blonde wiped the young girl’s cheeks with the back of her fingers.

“You and me and Franky?” Emily asked, looking at the brunette.

Franky opened her mouth then realized she wasn’t really sure how Bridget wanted her to answer. In her mind, and based on the conversation they had had the night before when they went to bed, it was a resounding ‘yes’. This was new territory for her though, dealing with the emotions of a child, and she didn’t want to say something wrong, or too early. She looked to Bridget, who gave a quick nod.

“Yeah, bub. You, me and Gidge.” A whole new bunch of tears rolled down Franky’s cheeks.

They sat in silence for a while.

“Anyone want some breakfast?” Franky asked. She saw Emily shake her head, which was the answer she’d expected. “Come on, how about I make chocolate chip waffles?” The young girl buried her face against Bridget’s shoulder again.

“Why don’t you go ahead and make them? Maybe she’ll change her mind when they’re ready,” the blonde said quietly.

Franky gave Bridget a kiss on the cheek, and Emily one on the head as she got up and went into the kitchen. She began finding the ingredients she needed, and turned on the waffle maker.

“Do you want to help, bub?” Again, she expected, and got, a ‘no’, but she thought it was worth trying anything to keep the young girl’s mind off things even for a few minutes.

Franky could see Emily watching her from her spot on Bridget’s lap. After a few minutes, the young girl got up, and came to stand beside the tall brunette.

“Can I just put the batter in?” Emily asked, stepping up onto the stool beside Franky at the counter.

“Yeah, sure.” The brunette handed her the ladle, and watched as she carefully added the batter.

Bridget excused herself to the patio while Emily was distracted for a few minutes. She needed to call the school and let them know what had happened. There would be so much to do over the next few days. There would be funeral arrangements, she'd probably have to meet with a lawyer and go through Tim's will, considering other than her getting custody of Emily, she had no idea what was in there, and she was sure there'd be paperwork to be done for that as well. As soon as things settled down a bit, they'd have to go get the rest of Emily's belongings from the house, and completely clean out the spare room she was staying in so they could make it permanently hers. Right now though, she had to speak with the school.

"You want this one?" Franky asked the young girl when the first waffle was ready. Emily shook her head. "How about you, Gidge?" Bridget had just come back in from outside.

She was about to say no when she saw Franky give her a look. "Uh, yeah sure."

"This next one is yours, okay bub?" Franky said as Emily put the next scoop of batter in to cook.

"I'm not hungry."

"I want you to try, okay? Just a few bites then see how you feel." The brunette had chosen the waffles because she knew they were one of Emily's favorites. When it was ready, she put it on the plate for the girl. "One sec," she said when Emily went to take it to the table. Franky reached into the fridge and grabbed the can of whipped cream. She put some in the centre of the waffle, and Emily smiled a bit.

********

Around mid-afternoon, Emily had said she was tired, so Bridget put her to bed and laid with her until she fell asleep. When she went back to the living room, she joined Franky on the couch.

"How are you doing?" the brunette asked, as she put an arm around Bridget's shoulders, and pulled her close.

"Honestly, I don't know. I think right now I'm just more concerned with making sure she's okay. I haven't really thought about myself yet." The blonde took Franky's hand and traced patterns on her palm with her thumb. "I called the school earlier while you two were making breakfast. They said that I'll need to come in sometime over the next few days and fill out some paperwork. I'd like for you to come with me. I want to make it so that they can contact you if I'm not available."

"Yeah, for sure. I already talked to the principal one day when I picked her up."

"You did?" Bridget asked.

"I did. Just last Friday. She said Em talked about how I was teaching her to cook." Bridget gave Franky a small kiss. "What was that for?"

"Just because." Bridget's lips showed a hint of a smile.

"Auntie Bridge! Auntie Bridge!" They both jumped, hearing Emily yelling from her bedroom. "Franky!"

The two women hurried down the hall to see what was wrong with the young girl. When they got there, Emily was standing in the middle of the room, tears streaming down her face.

"What's wrong, love?" Bridget knelt down in front of her, and wiped the tears from her face.

Emily wrapped her arms around her aunt's neck. "I woke up and you were gone."

Bridget sighed. "I stayed until you were asleep." She rubbed Emily's back in an effort to calm her down.

"I was scared." The young girl's tears had begun to slow.

"We're right here. We wouldn't leave you alone in the house," Franky said quietly, crouching down beside Bridget.

"Come back out in the living room with us and you can lay down on the couch instead." The blonde stood up and took Emily's hand.

Within a few minutes, she was asleep again as Bridget made more phone calls from the kitchen table, and Franky cleaned up in the kitchen. The brunette heard the front door open and quickly went to the hallway to make sure whoever it was didn't wake Emily.

"Hey Vera," she said quietly. "Come on in. Em's just asleep on the couch."

"Oh, sure. I just came by to drop this off." She held up bags filled with take out food. "I thought you guys might be busy or not feel like cooking so I picked up some stuff. There should be lots of leftovers for a couple of days."

"Thanks," Franky said, taking the bags from Vera. "Gidge is just at the table."

Vera gave a little wave to Bridget when she entered the living room, and her friend got up and joined the other two women. Franky was currently unpacking all the food Vera had brought with her. It looked to be enough to feed an army.

"Vera brought us a few meals."

"Aw, thank you, that was really thoughtful." The blonde gave her friend a hug.

"I feel like I should be the one hugging you," Vera said. "How are you guys doing?"

"As good as can be expected I think. Em has been asleep for the last hour or so." Bridget's gaze drifted over to the small girl on the couch.

Vera sensed that there were probably some things that weren't being said, and that it had been a draining day for everyone at the house. "I should go and let you guys rest. If you need anything at all, just let me know."

"Actually, why don't you stay and eat with us?" Franky said, looking to Bridget for confirmation.

"Yeah, stay and have dinner with us."

Vera looked back and forth between the two of them. "Okay," she reluctantly agreed.

********

They had woken Emily when it came time for dinner, and actually managed to get her to eat some food without too much convincing. Vera didn't have to work until ten the next morning, so she agreed to watch the girl for an hour or so, so that Franky and Bridget could go speak with the principal at the school. The blonde knew that after the way Emily had woken up crying that afternoon that she would have to prepare her for being left with Vera the next morning.

"Em, love, we need to talk to you for a minute before you go to bed." Bridget said, sitting down beside the girl on the couch. Franky joined them, and sat on the opposite side of the girl. "Tomorrow morning, Franky and I have to go to your school and talk to Ms. Johns, so we might not be here when you wake up." The blonde could see the tears starting in Emily's eyes. "Shh, no, listen," she said, brushing her thumb over the girl's cheek. "We're only going to be out for a little bit, and Vera will be here with you, okay? You won't be alone."

Emily looked to Franky. "We won't be gone long. Promise." The brunette said.

“How long?” The young girl asked quietly.

“An hour, maybe a bit more.” Franky knew they probably wouldn’t even be an hour, but she figured it would be better to be back sooner than expected than to be running late. “And Vera will be here. You’ve stayed the whole night with her before.” Emily gave a small nod.

“Alright, time for bed then. Go get your pyjamas on then we’ll be in to say goodnight.” Bridget patted her on the back and tipped her head in the direction of Emily’s bedroom.

The girl hesitated to get up off the couch. “Can I sleep in your bed tonight?”

Bridget looked to Franky, who gave a small shrug as if to say it was up to the blonde. “We’re not going to bed yet though, love.”

“Please?” Emily looked to Franky.

“It’s been a long day, and we have to get up early tomorrow. Maybe we could all use the extra hour or so?” Franky suggested. In all honesty, the brunette wasn’t that tired, but she knew that Emily, and especially Bridget, probably were, and she was willing to lay in bed awake if it meant they’d get some sleep.

“Alright, let’s go then.” Bridget knew that Franky was right, and that even if she insisted that Emily go to sleep in her own bed, she’d probably end up in theirs before the night was over anyway.

It wasn’t long before Franky was the only one left awake. Emily had insisted on sleeping between them again, and now Franky laid on her side looking at the young girl and Bridget, studying the peaceful expressions on their faces. She couldn’t believe how much her life had changed in just a matter of months. She’d gone from someone who mostly just had one night stands, to someone who was living with her girlfriend, and now as of today, would be potentially helping to raise a child. She let her thoughts overwhelm her for a moment before she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was sure of her feelings for Bridget, and she was sure that she cared very much for Emily. They were all in this together now. She closed her eyes. Yeah, she could do this, she thought as she drifted off to sleep.


	35. Chapter 35

The next morning, Bridget, Franky, and Emily, were all eating breakfast when Vera arrived.

“Hey, you want an omelette? I made an extra one. It’s just in the pan staying warm.” Franky got up to get Vera a plate.

“Oh, uh, thank you, that wasn’t necessary.” Vera hung her bag on the chair, and sat down at the table with them.

“Ah, it’s no trouble.” The brunette sat the plate down in front of their guest.

Once they had finished eating, Bridget sat back down at the table beside Emily, who was currently working on colouring a picture. “Franky and I are going to leave in a minute, and Vera is going to stay until we get back just like we talked about yesterday, okay?”

“How do I know you’re coming back?” The young girl didn’t look up at Bridget, but the blonde saw her wipe a tear from her face.

“Because we promised you that we would.” Bridget reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind Emily’s ear so that she could see her face better.

“What if there’s an accident like what happened with my Dad?” She had stopped colouring now, but her eyes were still focused on the picture in front of her.

“We’re going to walk, love. We’re not driving the car,” the blonde quietly explained.

Franky came out of the bedroom, where she had been changing her clothes. She had heard most of the conversation between Bridget and her niece. Her heart ached for the young girl. She knew she was shy and didn’t take to people easily, so she couldn’t imagine how it must feel for her to have both of her parents taken away from her. Right now, her and Bridget were the people who gave her comfort, and now they were saying they were both leaving. Even though it was only for a short time, she understood why Emily didn’t want them to leave.

“You could get hit by a car crossing the road. That would be an accident.”

Bridget stroked Emily’s hair and let out a quiet sigh.

“But we’re going to be really careful, like we tell you when you cross the street, so we’ll be okay,” Franky explained. She had come to stand on the opposite side of Emily. She could see the small girl shake her head. The brunette pulled out the chair in front of her and sat down so she could look Emily in the eye. “Hold out your hand.” The girl slowly put out her hand. “This,” Franky said, placing one of her silver rings in the palm of Emily’s hand, “is my favourite ring. If I leave it with you, you’ll know I’m coming back to get it since it’s something that means a lot to me, okay?”

Emily looked at Franky, then Bridget. The blonde silently took off one of her own rings and placed it along with Franky’s in the young girl’s hand. Emily closed her fingers around the items and gave a small nod. They both gave Emily a kiss on the cheek and headed for the door.

On their way past Vera, Bridget noticed that her friend wiped a tear from her eye. The blonde placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “If you need anything, call us.”

Franky took Bridget’s hand as they walked down the street towards Emily’s school.

“That was really good, what you did with Em,” the blonde said, leaning into Franky as they walked.

“Yeah? I don’t know, it’s just something I thought might work.” She glanced over and gave Bridget a small smile.

When they got to the school, they went straight into the principal’s office and were greeted by her secretary. “Hi, I’m Bridget Westfall. I’m hoping to meet with Ms. Johns to discuss my niece, Emily. I was speaking with her yesterday on the phone and she asked me to come in.”

“Oh yes, I’ll let her know you’re here. She just got in, so it may be a minute before she’s ready. You can have a seat if you like.” She motioned toward the small couch in the office as she picked up the phone.

Bridget and Franky sat down and waited. The brunette looked around, and saw all the kids coming in ready for their day. She’d picked up Emily at school many times, but actually being inside one again was bringing back a lot of memories, and not good ones. She wondered if any of them were going through what she did as a child. She reached to play with the ring that she always did when she was anxious or nervous, only to find that it wasn’t there. It took a second for her to register that it was the one she’d left with Emily. Bridget caught Franky out of the corner of her eye. She could tell just by the brunette’s body language that she was feeling a bit uncomfortable.

After about five minutes, Ms. Johns came out of her office. “Ms. Westfall.” She shook Bridget’s hand.

“Bridget, please.” Being called by her last name always made her feel like she was at work.

“Bridget,” Ms. Johns smiled and turned to Franky. “And Ms…” She suddenly realized that she hadn’t caught her last name when they had spoken a few days earlier.

“Doyle, but you can just call me Franky,” the brunette said, shaking the other woman’s hand.

“Right, come in, please.” She led the way into her office, and Franky and Bridget sat in the two chairs facing the desk as the principal took her seat behind it. “First of all, I just want to say that I’m very sorry for your loss. It is always hard to lose a family member, especially for a child, and probably even more so for Emily. If it’s any consolation, having heard the way she speaks of both of you, I feel like she’ll settle into your home nicely.” She reached into the drawer of her desk and pulled out a folder. “This is Emily’s student file. There are some forms I’ll need you to fill out. We received a fax from your late brother’s lawyer at some point overnight with the custody paperwork.”

“That was fast,” Franky said, more to herself than anyone else, but the principal picked up on it.

“Child custody issues are usually the top priority in these cases. They like to get that sorted out so the child can begin to get settled, and so that paperwork like this can move ahead.” Ms. Johns gave Franky a weak smile. This was truly part of her job she didn’t like, and she was thankful that she rarely had to deal with situations like this.

Bridget flipped through the papers. “I’d like to have Franky added to these as well. In case there’s an emergency, I want her to be a contact.”

“Of course. There’s a section at the bottom of the last page where you can list another contact, and then you’ll both need to sign it.” She handed Franky another packet of papers. “These are the memos that went out to parents over the past month. There are some upcoming dates to keep in mind, and a registration package for next year. Now, those haven’t even gone out to the students yet, but we weren’t sure when Emily would be feeling up to coming back. One thing to note is there’s a career day coming up next week. You’re both welcome to attend if you’re able. Even if she isn’t back in class yet, it might be something fun for her.”

“We both have the rest of the week off, so we’re hoping to have her back here by the time we go back to work,” Bridget said, handing her file to Franky so she could sign the form. “And career day sounds lovely, although I’m not sure how many kids will be interested in what a prison psychologist does.” The blonde gave a small laugh.

“There’s always the possibility that you’ll be inspiring a young mind.” Ms. Johns smiled warmly. “I have to say she’s very lucky to have both of you.” The principal shifted in her chair. “Maybe it isn’t my place to say this, but she seems much happier when she’s in your care.”

“You had mentioned the day I picked her up when she wasn’t feeling well that she liked talking about staying at our place.”

“It was more than just that though after we spoke that time. She was...almost depressed.” She looked between the two women. “The important thing now though is getting her through what’s happened with her Dad, and I’m confident she’ll have all the support she needs at home.”

“We’re going to do our best and I’m waiting to hear back from a child psychologist I contacted yesterday. I think she’ll benefit from a few sessions, just to make sure she’s processing everything okay.” Bridget glanced at Franky. “And we’ll both be there for career day.” The brunette gave a nod.

“There is one more thing that her teacher wanted me to mention to you. The final project for the year that she’ll be doing with them in a couple of weeks is a family tree. She wanted you to know because she thought it might be a sensitive topic for Emily.” Ms. Johns gave Bridget a final piece of paper outlining the details of the project.

“Thank you for letting us know. We’ll see how she’s doing by then.”

Franky sat the file she had signed back on the desk. She noticed Bridget silently looking at the paper she was holding. The brunette reached over and placed a comforting hand on her girlfriend’s back. “We’ll talk to her.” The blonde gave a small nod.

“I think that’s really all we had to cover unless you two have any questions,” the principal said as she placed Emily’s file back into the drawer.

Bridget shook her head. “I can’t think of anything right now. We’ll let you know when we think she’s coming back.” The blonde gave a small, polite smile as she stood up and headed for the door.

Franky stood up quickly. She had been unprepared for Bridget’s sudden exit. “Thanks, for everything. We’ll be in touch.” She reached over the desk and shook Ms. Johns’s hand one last time before turning to follow the blonde.

It took her a few quick steps to catch up with her girlfriend. “Gidge, you alright?” She put a hand on the older woman’s shoulder in an effort to get her to stop walking and talk for a minute.

“I don’t know…” She trailed off as she looked around the lobby. The morning rush seemed to be over; there were only a few parents on their way out the door from dropping off their kids.

Franky knew that while Bridget was open with her feelings most of the time, she wasn’t someone who would want to stand in public and have an emotional conversation. “Why don’t we talk when we get home?” She felt the blonde take her hand and give it a small squeeze.

They walked most of the way home in silence. When they reached the front door, Bridget said she was going to go change into something more comfortable, and Franky took this as her cue that the blonde wanted to talk in the bedroom.

As soon as the door opened Emily came running. “Auntie Bridge! Franky!” The girl tried to hug both of them at the same time.

“Hey, love,” Bridget said, as she reached down to return Emily’s half hug. “I’ll be right back, okay?” The blonde carefully stepped out of the young girl’s arms and made her way to the bedroom.

“Where’s Auntie going? I have to give her ring back.” Emily looked towards the door Bridget had just closed behind her.

“She’ll be right back, bub. I’m going to go talk to her for a minute then you can give them back to us.” The brunette caught Vera’s eye.

“Hey, Em, come on back and we’ll finish our game before I have to leave for work.” Vera was still sitting on the floor by the coffee table, where it looked like her and Emily had been playing a card game. The girl reluctantly went back with Vera, and Franky went to the bedroom.

When she got there, she saw Bridget standing, looking out the window. She quietly closed the door, walked up behind the blonde, and wrapped her arms around her. “Hey, babe.” She heard Bridget sigh, as she turned in her arms to face her.

“What if I don’t know how to have some of those conversations with her?” The blonde’s voice was muffled as she rested her head against Franky’s shoulder and neck.

“I don’t think anyone knows how to talk about those types of things. I think they just do their best, and you won’t have to do it alone.” The brunette rubbed her hand up and down the other woman’s back.

“It’s my job to know how though,” Bridget said as she felt Franky’s arm tighten around her a bit more.

“It's different when you’re involved in the situation though, yeah? You mentioned that once when I was in Wentworth. You can’t look at this as a therapist. That’s why you’re sending her to see that other guy. It might be messy, but we’ll get through it.” The brunette gave her a small kiss on the side of her head.

“There’s still so much to do.” Bridget reached up and touched the kite necklace that Franky always wore. “We should go get Em’s things from the house, and clear the rest of my stuff out of her closet.”

“And let her decide how she wants to decorate her room.”

Bridget pulled back and looked at Franky. “I didn’t think of that.”

“I mean, I guess it’s not technically necessary, but it was just something I always wanted to do as a kid and I never got to. My mom never offered, and I never stayed in any of the foster homes long enough to bother. It might help her feel more settled, like she has a space that’s hers.” When the brunette finished, she saw there were tears in Bridget’s eyes, and she thought maybe she’d said something wrong. “We don’t have to.”

“No, it’s a good idea. A really good idea actually.” The blonde gave her a small kiss.

“Okay. So we’ll just take one thing at a time, and we’ll figure out the hard stuff together, alright?” Franky said, and Bridget gave a small nod. “We should get changed and go back out so that Vera can get to work.” Franky wiped the tears that had fallen down the blonde’s cheeks, and they both proceeded to change into more comfortable clothes.

When they left the bedroom, Emily waited until they had made it to the living room, before she approached them with the rings.

“Vera said I had to wait until you were out here to give these back.” She handed one ring to Franky and the other to Bridget.

“I just wanted you to have whatever time you needed.” Vera said, getting up off the floor.

“Thanks.” Bridget gave her a hug. “And thank you for watching her this morning.”

“Oh, no problem. Everything okay at the school?”

“Yeah, it’s all good, just a bit overwhelming.” The blonde gave her a small smile.

“Okay,” Vera returned the smile, and headed for the door. As she put her hand on the handle, she turned back to face Bridget. “If you need someone to watch Em while you go take care of something, I don’t mind. Or if you just need a break for a bit.”

“Thanks, I think we’re okay for now, but I’m sure we’ll take you up on that offer at some point in the future.” She gave Vera another hug and a kiss on the cheek before she left.

********

After Vera left, Bridget’s day filled up quickly. She had gotten a call from both Tim’s lawyer, and the officer handling the accident investigation, asking if they could come by the house to meet with her. She didn’t know if she was ready for either of those things, but she knew they needed to be done, and Franky would be there with her.

It was early afternoon when James, Tim’s lawyer, showed up. Bridget greeted him at the door while Franky told Emily that they’d be in the office for a bit having a meeting if she needed anything.

“This is my girlfriend, Franky.” Bridget had introduced herself at the door, but the brunette had been talking with Emily, so she took the opportunity as they settled into their seats in the office.

“Nice to meet you. I’m James, Tim’s lawyer.” He shook Franky’s hand as he sat.

“To begin with, I’d like to offer my condolences. I didn’t know your brother for very long, but he seemed like a nice man.” James placed a file in front of Bridget. “As we go through, I’ll get you to sign where I’ve marked, and then I’ll give you another copy to keep for your records.”

Bridget took a deep breath, and Franky placed a hand on the blonde’s back.

James continued. “Your brother actually made his will very straightforward. As you already know, he has given full custody of Emily to you. Any financial investments and money will be placed in an account, which you will oversee, to be used for any necessary expenses relating to the care of his daughter and her post-secondary education. This will eventually include money from the sale of the house and belongings. Anything in the house that you, or Emily, wish to keep is yours, and you’ll have one month to remove whatever items you want. Is that something you’re able to do in that time frame?”

“Yeah. We were thinking of going to get Emily’s things in the next day or so. Other than that, I can’t think of anything we’d want. Maybe some family pictures for her to have.” The blonde glanced over to Franky who gave a small nod of agreement.

“There’s also something he mentioned about a…sample at a sperm bank?” James looked up at Bridget and she nodded, indicating that she knew what he was talking about. “He said you would know the details of that, and this is the paperwork for it.” He handed her another large envelope.

“Wait,” the blonde said, looking at what had just been handed to her. “He only talked to me about this two days before he died. How is it already in his will?”

“He may have only just spoken with you about it, but he added it to his will a couple of weeks ago when he came to see me. He added some details about financial items as well. Mostly things to make sure that Emily was taken care of in that way. Speaking of which.” he handed Bridget another envelope. “This is information on her medical insurance, which is set up to be paid from the account that holds her money, as well as her medical records and birth certificate. And this is all of the banking information you’ll need to manage that account.” He sat a final stack of paper in front of her. “I sent some paperwork to the school yesterday, so that will be ready when you arrive.”

“We were actually there this morning and signed everything.” Bridget felt like her mind was spinning.

“Ah, very good. So if you’ll just go through and sign where I’ve marked. It’s all things we’ve discussed, but take your time and read it, and ask if you have any questions.” He leaned back in his chair and waited while the blonde went through the pages.

Franky was quiet for a few minutes before she spoke up. “I do have a question, actually.”

“Yes?” James had been watching Bridget sign the papers, but looked to Franky when she spoke.

“Bridget’s custody of Em, that’s like full, one hundred percent custody, right?” She’d heard it from Bridget, but she needed to make sure.

“Oh yes, absolutely. The only way it wouldn’t be would be if Ms. Westfall herself declined to accept the arrangement. Once she signs those papers,” he motioned to the file that Bridget was currently working her way through, “everything will be finalized.”

Franky nodded, satisfied with his answer. “Okay, good, thank you.”

The blonde closed the file and handed it back to James.

“Perfect. Here’s your copy for your records.” He handed her another copy of what she’d just looked through. “If there’s nothing more then I think we’re done.”

“I can’t think of anything right now. It’s all a bit overwhelming to be honest.” Bridget stacked the papers he had given her.

“I understand. Here’s my card if you think of anything later.” James gave her a card, then gathered his things.

Franky showed him out, and seeing that Emily was still content with drawing and watching cartoons, she returned to the office to be with Bridget.

“Does this seem weird to you?” the blonde asked, flipping through some of the pages.

“Weird how?” Franky asked, sitting down beside her.

“Like just very organized. He’d thought of everything. I mean, I know with his job he’s used to dealing with the fine details of things and he has to be very organized, but this….” She trailed off as she looked through more documents.

The brunette shrugged. “Maybe he just wanted to make sure she was looked after. Especially since her mom has passed away too. Maybe when that happened he realized a few things.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

It was only a few minutes before the officer arrived, and while Bridget was already tired, she was thankful that they’d be getting both meetings out of the way. When the doorbell rang, Franky said she’d go bring him in.

“Ms. Westfall,” he greeted her as he entered the office, and sat down. “I have the final report here from forensics. I can give you the key points if you’d like or just leave it for you to read.”

“Honestly, I don’t really want to read it so you go ahead.” Bridget readied herself for what the officer was about to tell her.

“At approximately eleven thirty Monday night, we were called to a single vehicle accident. Your brother was the sole occupant of the car, and after twenty minutes of attempting to resuscitate him, was pronounced dead at the scene. They didn’t find anything mechanically wrong with the car, and the weather at the time didn’t play a factor. The car was travelling approximately twenty kilometres per hour over the speed limit, but it isn’t believed that speed alone was the cause of the accident.” He flipped over to the next page in his notes.

“What does that mean? That speed alone wasn’t the cause.” The blonde sat forward in her chair.

“Uh, yes, well that brings me to the toxicology report. They found that your brother had a high level of alcohol in his system at the time of the crash. He would have been well over the legal limit. Now, twenty kilometres over the speed limit on that road, while illegal, probably wouldn’t have caused a sober person to have an accident. With the level of alcohol in your brother’s system though, it would have been a contributing factor. It’s our belief that, because of those two things, he simply lost control of the car, and went off the road.” He closed his notebook.

“He, ah, he was in rehab though.” Bridget hadn’t quite let it sink in yet, but her fears were being confirmed.

“You mentioned that when we were here the other night, so as part of the investigation, we looked into it. We couldn’t find him registered with any facility in the city. It would appear that he never actually went.”

Bridget lowered her head, staring at the floor, and Franky could see the tears coming from her eyes. The brunette put her arm around her and pulled her in close to her side.

“I’m very sorry, ma’am.” The blonde just nodded her head. “That was everything we know from the report, so I won’t take any more of your time. If there’s anything else you need, or any questions, you can contact myself or the department.” He stood up, and Franky started to stand, to walk him out. He put his hand on her shoulder to stop her. “I can see myself out, stay with her.”

A few seconds later the brunette heard the front door open and close. “Gidge?”

“I believed him,” the blonde said quietly. “He said he was getting help, and I believed him. Even though he still looked tired, and never wanted to hang around much. I should have checked; I should have known.”

“Gidge, you can’t blame yourself for this. You did what you thought was right, and it was, but…” She didn’t know how to finish that sentence so she just shrugged her shoulders. The cliché of saying ‘sometimes things just happen’ didn’t seem like a good enough reason right now.

“That’s why he did all that planning.” She motioned to the stack of papers the lawyer had left earlier. “He never intended to get better.”

“Maybe he just knew that this time it wasn’t something he could beat. I’ve seen a lot of addicts in my life, probably you have too, and we both know it’s not always a battle that can be won. Gidge.” When Bridget refused to lift her head, Franky got on her knees in front of her to force her to meet her stare. “I know you don’t want to hear this right now, but you need to realize that you can’t blame yourself. There is one positive thing here in all this mess.”

“What could possibly be positive in this?” Bridget wiped her fingers across her cheeks.

“He made sure Emily was looked after, and safe. That’s huge, Gidge. He looked after her by letting us take her, and he looked after her in his will, both financially, and by giving you custody.” Franky waited as the blonde slowly nodded and let that sink in. “Come here,” the brunette said, moving closer to her girlfriend and wrapping her arms around her. She felt Bridget hang on to handfuls of her shirt as the brunette rubbed her back. “You should go lay down for a bit, and I’ll get some things done around the house. I’ll start moving the rest of the stuff out of the closet in Em’s room, and put it in the other bedroom for you to go through later, okay?”

Bridget nodded, and made her way from the office to her bedroom. Franky went out to the living room and sat beside Emily. She wanted to spend a few minutes with her before she started on her work.

“Is Auntie Bridge okay?” the young girl asked as Franky sat down beside her.

“Yeah, bub, she’s just sad. We’ve been talking with those men about your dad. She’s gone to lay down for a bit.” The brunette put her arm around Emily, and the young girl leaned into her.

“Should I go be with her because she’s sad?” Emily asked, looking up at Franky.

“Sometimes when people are sad they need some time alone. Why don’t we give her a bit of time by herself? Then if you still want to see how she is, you can go in and ask if she’d like you to stay with her.” As much as Franky knew that Bridget loved her niece, she also knew that it had been an emotionally exhausting morning for the blonde, and she wanted her to get some rest.

“Okay, can you sit with me for a while?” Emily curled herself up against Franky even more.

The brunette couldn’t say no, especially with everything that was going on with the young girl. “Yeah, sure. Are you doing okay? You can talk to me or Auntie if you need to.”

“I’m okay,” Emily said, still watching the cartoon. After a few minutes, Franky felt a soft touch on the inside of her left forearm. “What does this mean?” The girl was pointing to the brunette’s nautical star tattoo.

“It’s a nautical star. It represents guidance.” Franky didn’t normally like people asking about her tattoos, but the star didn’t hold a big personal meaning for her, and she knew Emily was just curious.

“I like stars, they’re pretty.”

“Mmhmm, like the night sky?” An idea was forming in the brunette’s mind.

“Yeah!” Emily smiled.

They sat and watched the cartoons in silence for a while.

“Can I go check on her now?”

Franky looked at the clock. It had been about half an hour. “Okay. Don’t wake her if she’s sleeping though. If she is, come back out with me.” The brunette watched as Emily disappeared down the hallway. When she hadn’t returned after a couple of minutes, Franky assumed Bridget had said it was okay for her to stay.

She turned off the tv and got up from the couch. It was time to start cleaning out Emily’s room like she had told Bridget she’d do. The blonde had gone through a lot of her clothing when Franky moved in, and had donated the items she didn’t wear anymore to make space for the brunette’s things. The other stuff got put in the closets in the other two rooms. Now Franky had the job of moving everything out of the room that would be Emily’s, and into the third bedroom.

The clothes she just laid carefully on the bed. There was no more room to hang up anything, so Bridget would have to downsize her wardrobe a bit more. Next, she started on the boxes. None of them had anything written on them, and she had no idea as to what their contents might be.

It didn’t take her long to move them all. As she was stacking the last few in the closet, she accidentally knocked one off the edge of the dresser when she turned around. The brunette held her breath, hoping there was nothing breakable in it. She was relieved when she didn’t hear a smash, but when she opened her eyes, she saw that the contents had spilled out onto the floor.

It looked to be things from Bridget’s university days. There were copies of the psychology society’s newspapers that contained articles that the blonde had written, a couple of awards she had gotten, and some pictures of her and her friends at various social functions.

Franky flipped through the pictures. Bridget looked to be quite young, maybe twenty years old, but she still had the same sparkling blue eyes and bright smile. The brunette stopped when she came to a photo that looked like it had been taken at a Halloween party. Bridget was dressed as a cop, in a complete uniform, including the hat and sunglasses. Franky smiled, her girlfriend looked hot.

She picked up the box, and opened it to repack the things that had fallen out. As she opened the flaps, she saw that it wasn’t empty. In the bottom was something made from a light blue fabric, and a pair of sunglasses. An even bigger smile formed on the brunette’s face as she pulled out the cop shirt that Bridget had been wearing in the picture.

She pulled her t-shirt off, and stepped in front of the mirror. Bridget was a bit smaller than her but it looked like the shirt had fit her loosely in the picture. Franky buttoned it up, and checked how it looked on her. It was tight, not too tight but enough that it turned Bridget’s normal cop costume into a hot cop costume. The brunette nodded as she changed back into her own shirt. She carefully folded the cop shirt and set it aside. When she had finished putting the boxes away, she tucked the shirt neatly into one of the empty dresser drawers until she could move it to her own once Bridget woke up.


	36. Chapter 36

Bridget woke up with Emily’s arm laid across her face. Her niece had slept in their bed again that night. The blonde knew that eventually this had to come to an end, but she didn’t have the heart to make the girl sleep on her own just yet. She carefully moved Emily’s arm, and slid out of the bed. She walked quietly to the other side, and bent down, giving the brunette a soft kiss on the temple.

“Baby,” Bridget whispered softly.

“Mmm?” Franky started to stir.

“Shh, don’t wake Em.” She placed a soft kiss next to her girlfriend’s ear. “Come shower with me.” Franky smiled, and slowly moved away from Emily.

Bridget turned on the water in the shower, letting it warm up while she took off her clothes. She stepped in and let the water run down over her back. A minute later, she heard the shower door slide open behind her, and felt a rush of cooler air as Franky joined her. The blonde felt the warmth of the water on her back replaced by the warmth of her girlfriend pressed against her.

Franky placed soft kisses on the back of Bridget’s neck and shoulders as she wrapped her arms around the blonde. She ended with a gentle bite, which made Bridget let out a small laugh.

The brunette smiled against her girlfriend’s skin. “What’s funny, babe?” she asked, placing a small kiss below the other woman’s ear.

“Mmm, you like to bite me.” Bridget turned so that she was facing Franky. She draped one arm over the brunette’s shoulder, and reached up with her other hand to cup the taller woman’s cheek. She brushed her thumb lightly across Franky’s lips.

The brunette smiled. “I never really thought about it, but yeah. Has no one else done that to you?” Bridget shrugged, and Franky tried to read her expression. “Do you not like it?”

“No, I like it.” She pulled Franky down for a long, deep kiss.

When their lips parted, the brunette reached back to the shelf and picked up the bottle of shampoo. She motioned for Bridget to turn around as she squeezed some into her own hand. They took their time washing each other, and when they had finished, they stood together once more under the warm water, sharing small kisses.

Franky pulled the blonde close again. “I’ve missed holding you at night.”

“I’ve missed it too, baby. We’ll try to get her back to her own bed soon.” Bridget nuzzled into the crook of the brunette’s neck.

“We don’t have to rush anything. I know she needs us right now.” Franky ran her hand over the blonde’s back.

“Mmm, I know.” Bridget closed her eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

The quiet was soon interrupted by Emily knocking loudly on the bathroom door. “Franky!? Auntie Bridge!?”

Franky thought it sounded like the young girl was crying. “It’s okay. We’re both here, bub. Everything’s alright, we’ll be out in a minute.”

Bridget turned off the water, and grabbed her towel as she stepped out. Franky followed. The blonde wrapped her towel around herself and opened the door a crack so she could talk to Emily.

“Are you okay, love?” Bridget asked as she glanced behind her to make sure that Franky was covered before she opened the door the rest of the way.

“You were both gone when I woke up.” Emily wiped her face dry with the sleeve of her pyjamas.

“We wanted to let you sleep a bit longer.” It wasn’t really a lie, but it also wasn’t the only reason they’d left her there. “Give us a minute and we’ll be out for breakfast, okay?” Emily nodded, and went to wait for them in the kitchen.

Franky walked into the kitchen, leaned on the island, and looked into the living room, where Emily was looking through one of her books. “What do you think of pizza for breakfast?” she asked with a big smile on her face.

“Yeah!” The young girl left her book on the couch and came over to help Franky. “Auntie Bridge! We’re having pizza for breakfast!”

“Are we?” Bridget smiled when she saw how excited her niece was.

“I made coffee,” the brunette said, handing Bridget a mug.

“Mmm, thanks babe.” The blonde took a sip as she sat down on the stool on the opposite side of the island.

Emily was carefully chopping the veggies to use for toppings. “Why do you shower together?”

Franky and Bridget’s eyes met across the island. The brunette gave a smirk and went back to preparing the food. Bridget realized she was clearly left to answer this on her own.

“Ah, it um, it saves time.” She took another sip of her coffee.

“Not usually,” Franky said under her breath with a small smile.

“Franky,” Bridget warned.

Emily looked between the two of them, shrugged, and went back to cutting up the vegetables.

“We have some things we have to do today, Em,” Bridget said. She glanced up at Franky. The two of them had talked about this last night after Emily had fallen asleep, and they weren’t sure how the girl would react. “We need to go to the house and get the rest of your things. We’d like for you to come with us.” The girl didn’t say anything, but just nodded. Bridget had more that she wanted to talk about, but she decided to wait until the pizza was in the oven. She didn’t want to distract Emily any more while she was using the knife.

Once Emily and Franky had made what they declared to be the perfect pizza, Bridget asked them to join her on the couch. “There’s one other thing I wanted to talk to you about, but I think it’s actually something fun.” The blonde waited until she knew she had the young girl’s attention. “Since you live here now, we thought it would be nice if we helped you decorate your room however you want, so it feels more like your own space.”

“Anything I want?” Emily looked up at her aunt.

“Within reason, yeah. What were you thinking of?” Bridget waited for her niece’s answer.

When Emily stayed quiet, Franky spoke up. “Remember what you told me you liked the other day? When we were sitting on the couch.”

“The stars,” Emily said quietly.

“Yeah, the stars. You said you thought they were pretty. How about something like that?” Franky glanced at Bridget, who nodded her agreement. “We can paint the ceiling maybe a dark navy blue, and the walls a lighter blue. Then we can get some of those glow-in-the-dark stars and put them on the ceiling so you can lay in bed and look up at them.”

“Really?” The small blonde looked excitedly at her aunt, then Franky.

“Yeah! You want to do that?” Bridget was happy to see her niece excited about something. Emily nodded her head. “Okay, we’ll go after we eat.”

********

The first stop was at Tim’s house to get Emily’s things.

“Gidge, I think we didn’t think this through,” Franky said, as they walked up to the house.

“What do you mean?” Bridget thought that maybe the brunette was sensing that it wasn’t a good idea to bring Emily along.

“She has furniture, right? She’ll probably want her own bed and stuff, and we have a car with three people riding in it.”

Bridget stopped and looked back at the car. “Oh. Well, um, we can take the small stuff today, then I’ll see if someone I know has a truck and would help us with the bigger stuff.”

“It’s actually probably better if there’s nothing in there while we’re painting anyway.” Franky waited while the blonde unlocked the door.

“Go ahead, love.” Bridget put her hand on Emily’s shoulder and guided her into the house.

They made their way to the young girl’s bedroom and sat the boxes they’d brought in the middle of the floor.

“Alright, everything you want in the boxes. I’ll start packing the clothes.” Franky placed the suitcases on the girl’s bed, and opened them while Bridget and Emily packed up the boxes.

Bridget noticed, after a few minutes, that Emily had disappeared. The blonde told Franky that she’d be back, and set out to look for the young girl. She found her in Tim’s bedroom, sitting on the bed, looking at a picture of her with her parents.

“We can take this, and the other pictures too if you want,” the blonde said, sitting down beside her. “Is there something of your Dad’s that you’d like to have?” Emily shrugged. Bridget decided to leave the girl, to give her some time alone, and went back to help Franky.

“She okay?” the brunette asked when Bridget returned to the bedroom.

“Yeah, she’s looking at family pictures in Tim’s room.” She took a seat on the bed and leaned forward, resting her head in her hands.

Franky zipped up the suitcases, having packed the last of Emily’s clothes, and sat them on the ground. The brunette sat down beside her girlfriend. She reached over and rubbed her hand up and down the blonde’s back.

“Are you okay, baby?” Bridget turned her head to look at Franky.

“I think I should be the one asking you that.” The brunette gave her a weak smile.

“No, I mean, you’re making sure that Em and I are okay, but no one’s asking you if you are.” The blonde reached out and took Franky’s hand in hers.

“It’s not easy watching what you guys are going through, and I’ll admit sometimes I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing or if it’s enough. But yes, I’m okay.”

“You’re doing great with us.” Bridget gave Franky a small kiss.

“I want to keep this.” Emily had returned carrying what looked to be a footy jersey.

“The Sydney Swans,” Bridget read, as she held up the jersey. “Your Dad always did love footy.”

“My favourite player is Josh.” Emily sat down beside her aunt on the bed.

“Did you watch the games with your Dad?” the blonde asked, as she folded the jersey to take with them. Emily nodded. “Ah, okay, maybe we can watch some of their games on tv.” Just then her phone rang. She took it out of her pocket and looked at the caller ID. “I’ll be right back.” She went into the hallway to take the call.

“There’s footy teams here in Melbourne too. Maybe we can actually go to a game sometime.” Franky started closing up some of the boxes that were full. “I think we’ve got everything from in here. When your Auntie comes back, you guys can find the pictures you want, alright?”

“Franky.” Bridget stood in the doorway and called for the brunette to come talk with her for a minute.

“Yeah, babe?”

The blonde checked to make sure that Emily had stayed behind in the bedroom. “That was the secretary from the psychologist office, they have an appointment for her with Brad Crosby first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Do you know him? Is he good?” Franky knew that Emily needed to talk to someone, but she was nervous for her too.

“I don’t know him, but this office has a good reputation and they specialize in treating children. Besides, if Emily doesn’t get along with him, we can try someone else if we have to, okay?” Bridget reached up, cupping the brunette’s face as she ran her thumb back and forth over her cheek.

“Okay.” Franky let out a sigh.

While Bridget and Emily gathered the family photo albums and took the pictures off the walls, Franky disassembled the furniture in the young girl’s room as much as she could. She wanted everything to be ready so it would be a quick trip when they came back to get it. Once she was done, they loaded the boxes into the car, and headed to the home improvement store.

********

“Alright, so you want a really dark blue for the ceiling, right?” Bridget asked as she stood with Franky and Emily in front of the selection of paint chips.

“That one.” Emily pointed to a dark navy blue chip, and Bridget picked up the small card.

“Now something a bit lighter for the walls. Here, hold this next to the ones you think you’d like and see how they look together.” The blonde handed her niece the colour chip she’d just picked up.

“I like this.” The second colour she’d picked was a light sky blue.

“Ooo, that’ll be nice, love.” Bridget took the two color cards. “I’ll get these mixed while you guys go pick out the decor stuff if you want.”

“Sure. Come on, bub.” Franky held out her hand for Emily to hang on to. “I think I saw the aisle we need on our way in.” They walked a few rows before they came to what the brunette was looking for. “Here we are. Which one of these do you like?”

They had a few kits for turning your bedroom ceiling into a night sky. Everything from the whimsical glow in the dark stars and moons, to the kits that actually had templates that you projected on the ceiling to show you where to paint so you’d have an exact replica of the night sky. The brunette had to admit that while the real-life replicas looked really cool, she was hoping that Emily would pick one that maybe didn’t take so much patience.

“This one.” Emily held out one of the boxes.

“Paint a perfect replica of the night sky in your very own bedroom.” Franky smiled to herself. “Looks great, bub. There’s one more thing I think would be really cool.” They walked down to the other end of the aisle, and the brunette picked up a string of fairy lights. “I think these will look pretty around your bed. Kind of like a nightlight.”

They met up with Bridget, who had the mixed paint ready, along with some supplies, and headed for the checkout.

********

When they got back home, they brought all the boxes into the garage. Franky and Bridget took apart the bed that was in the formerly spare room and moved the pieces, along with the dresser, out to the garage as well.

Franky laid down the plastic sheets to cover the carpet and begin to paint, starting with the ceiling. Once that was done, she and Bridget moved on to painting the walls. Next came the templates for the ceiling.

“Okay, so it says we need a light source, like a torch.” Bridget read the sheet of instructions from the box.

“Got it.” Franky held up the torch she’d found in the utility closet.

They continued to read through the set up, and follow the directions to create the perfect night sky for Emily. It had taken way longer than expected, but they both had to admit that it looked beautiful.

“The paint is supposed to be glow-in-the-dark. Turn off the light and let’s see.” the brunette said as she pulled the curtains to darken the room.

When Bridget flipped the light switch all the little white dots they’d painted glowed green. “Aw, it’s beautiful, baby. She’s going to love it.”

********

They had decided to wait until they were all laying in bed to tell Emily about her visit to the psychologist the next morning. They wanted her to be prepared, but they didn’t want to give her too much time to think and worry about it.

“Love, we need to talk to you about something.” Bridget ran her fingers through Emily’s hair. At first just to move it away from her face but then because she knew that it was soothing to the young girl. “You know how my job is to help people by talking to them?” Emily nodded. “Well, in my job, I only talk to adults, but there are people who talk to kids too. I think that it’s a good idea for you to talk to one of those people, and you can tell him how you feel about what happened with your Dad, and coming to live with us, and whatever else you want to talk to him about. So tomorrow morning we’re going to take you to see a really nice man, and he’s going to ask you some questions, and all you have to do is answer with the truth, okay?”

“Are you coming with me?” Emily looked from Bridget to Franky.

“Yeah, bub, we’re going to take you there. When you talk to the man though, you have to go in by yourself, but we’ll be waiting right outside the room the whole time. You can see us again as soon as your session is over.” The brunette tried to remember everything that her and Bridget had talked about when they were deciding how to explain this to the young girl.

“I want you to come in with me.” Emily grabbed her aunt’s hand.

“No, love. You have to go alone. It’s just like if we’re here in the house, but just in different rooms. Like today, how you played in the living room while we painted your bedroom. We won’t be any further away than that tomorrow.” Bridget gave Emily’s hand a small squeeze.

“But I’m scared.” The young girl turned onto her side, facing Bridget, and moved close to her aunt so that she could bury her face against her shoulder.

“Why are you scared?” Bridget asked softly.

Emily reached behind her. “Where’s Franky?”

“I’m still here, bub.” The brunette moved in closer behind the girl, and draped her arm over both Emily and Bridget. “Tell us why you’re scared.”

“I want you to come in with me so I know you’re okay.” The girl spoke softly and they had to listen carefully to hear what she had said.

“I know, love. You’re worried about us because of what happened with your Mom and Dad, right?” The blonde asked, and felt Emily nod. “That’s one of the reasons you have to go talk to this man tomorrow. He’s going to help you so you don’t feel scared or worry about that.”

“I don’t want to be alone.” Emily started to cry.

All the emotions of Franky’s childhood hit her. Waiting for her Dad to come back, feeling alone and unwanted, unloved, never really having a place where she belonged once she’d finally gotten away from her mother. She wiped the tears from her face and saw Bridget do the same.

The blonde took a deep breath. “It’s okay, love. Shhh, it’s okay. You won’t be alone. Let’s all try and get some sleep now, alright? We can talk more in the morning. Maybe we’ll all feel better after we get some rest.”

It wasn’t long before she heard Emily’s breathing even out, then Franky’s followed shortly after, leaving her as the last one still awake. She wished she could be the one to give Emily the help she needed, but it wasn’t possible. She was doing what was best for the young girl. It may be hard to see that at first, she would be upset again tomorrow when they made her go with the counsellor, but in the end it would be for the better.


	37. Chapter 37

The first thing that Emily had asked that morning when they woke her up to get ready for her appointment with the therapist was if she really had to go in by herself. Both Franky and Bridget patiently explained again, as they had the night before, that yes, she did, but they would only be in the next room, and would be waiting for her when her session was done.

When they arrived, Emily insisted on holding Franky's hand while Bridget filled out paperwork, and checked in at the reception desk. "Remember what we talked about this morning, okay? He's just going to ask you some questions, you'll talk for a bit, and then you can come back out to us."

"I want you to come in with me." The tears had started to form in her eyes.

"No, bub. We talked about this too, okay?" Franky wiped a tear from the young girl's face. "Would it help if I told you I've done this before?"

"You have? Because you were sad?" Emily seemed to be a bit less anxious and more curious now.

"Kind of, yeah. That was part of it. But I had to go to a therapist, and go into their office by myself and talk to them." The brunette felt the girl's grip on her hand loosen a bit. "I was nervous too, but you know what?" Emily shook her head. "It was okay, and it helped me a lot. So it's okay that you're nervous about it, but you need to be brave too. Can you do that for me and Auntie?" Emily slowly nodded.

Bridget returned, and took her seat beside Emily. "Hey, love, Mr. Crosby is going to come get you in a couple of minutes."

"Did you know Franky had to do this too?" the young girl asked her Aunt.

"Mmm, I did." The blonde gave Franky a small smile.

"Hello, you must be Emily." The therapist stood a few feet in front of where Emily was sitting as he greeted her. She gave a shy nod. "My name is Brad. How are you today?" The girl shrugged. "I see you brought some friends with you. Can you tell me who they are?"

"My Auntie and Franky." Brad had to lean in a bit closer to hear her.

"Auntie...?" He looked from Bridget to Franky.

"Bridget," the blonde said, reaching out to shake his hand.

"Ah, Bridget, nice to meet you," he said, returning her handshake. "So you must be Franky then." He held out his hand to the brunette.

"That's me."

"Right, well, I'm going to ask you to come with me, Emily, and we'll have a chat in my office." Emily reluctantly stood up and began to follow him.

Bridget noticed Franky playing with her silver ring, and reached over to take her hand. "She'll be okay, baby."

"I know, it's just the whole therapy thing brings back some memories." Franky didn't like to admit that some things still bothered her as much as they did, but she knew Bridget could read her well, and there was no point in trying to hide it.

The blonde gave Franky's hand a gentle squeeze. "After he's done talking to her, he's going to want us to go in and talk with him for a few minutes. Are you okay with coming in?"

"Yeah I'm okay with it, but what are we going to talk about? Is he going to tell us what she said? I thought that was confidential." The brunette shifted in her chair.

"Yeah, of course it is. He'll just make recommendations for strategies we can use when she's upset, like when she doesn't want to leave us, or things we can do to help her."

********

Forty-five minutes later, they heard a door open down the hall, and Brad returned to the waiting room.

"I've left Emily in the counselling room. If you'd like to come to my office, we can talk for a minute." He led them back down the hallway, and held the door open to his office.

They sat down in the chairs in front of his desk. He took his seat, and typed something into his computer.

"Now as you can see," he said, turning his monitor around so they could all see what was displayed. It showed Emily sitting at a small table, playing with some blocks. "She made it through the session very well. She was a bit upset at first. You had mentioned that she's quite shy, and that she's having some separation anxiety at the moment, so I suspect that's what it was. I asked if she was okay with me sharing with you some of the things she and I had talked about, and she said that was okay." He leaned forward on his desk. "She talked about losing her mother some months ago, and her father just a few days ago. I have to say I think she's handling those two events quite well. She says you've both talked to her a bit about what happened with her Dad, and that she's comfortable talking to either of you about her feelings concerning that if she wants. I have no concerns that she's perfectly happy living with both of you. Now, I do have a couple of suggestions. She mentioned that since her father passed away, she's been sleeping with you in your bed at night. I would say that has to stop. Moving her back to her own room is a way to start to get her used to not being with you all of the time. I would say start this tonight as it will probably take a night or two before she's accepted that she has to stay in her own bed. If she gets up and comes to your room, just take her right back to her own bed."

Bridget knew that the therapist was probably sensing her hesitation. She knew he was right, but she also hated when Emily was upset, and she knew this would definitely upset her. As much as she missed talking with Franky while they were falling asleep, she was willing to give that up for a while if it made her niece feel more comfortable to be close to them.

"Now, I'm not saying that it can't happen once in awhile. There will be times when she's sick or has a nightmare, and it's perfectly fine to let her stay with you then, but as a regular thing, no. She won't get over her anxiety of being away from you if she's never made to be away from you." He waited, and getting no questions from either of them, continued. "The second thing is she needs to go back to school. It's important for her to get into a normal routine as soon as possible. My suggestion would be to start tonight with getting her to sleep in her own bed. That way, on Monday, she should be ready to go back to school. Do either of you have any questions right now?"

"No, I think we'll see how we do with those things for now." Bridget looked to Franky for confirmation, and the brunette gave a barely perceptible nod.

"Okay, good." Brad gave them a smile as he stood up to show them out. "I'd like to see her again in a week's time, but if there are any issues before that, just give us a call."

"Thank you," Bridget said, shaking his hand on her way out.

"I'll take you to get Emily." He led them a couple doors down the hallway.

********

Will had agreed to help them bring Emily's furniture to their house that afternoon. He offered to help put it back together as well, but Franky refused, saying that she needed something to keep her busy. Bridget knew that the brunette had been agitated since Emily's therapy appointment, and keeping busy was her way of dealing with it. She also knew that they needed to discuss how they were going to handle things before it was actually bedtime for the young girl.

"Baby." Bridget had just tucked Emily into their bed for a nap, and thought it would be a good chance to talk with Franky. "We need to talk about what the therapist said so we're ready when it's time to talk to Em tonight."

"I just know she's going to be upset when we tell her she's sleeping in here tonight." Franky moved the newly assembled bed into place and began putting on the sheets.

"I know. I don't like to see her upset either, but we need to get through this. I mean, everything he said was stuff I knew he was going to say, but it doesn't make it any easier to put it into practice." Bridget reached out and took the brunette's arm, making her stop what she was doing and look at her. "She'll be okay. She may not like it right now, and neither will we, but it'll work out. Besides, this room already looks amazing and you're not even done yet, so maybe she'll want to spend the night in here anyway."

"It does look pretty nice, huh?" Franky looked around, taking in all the changes they'd made. "The finishing touch will be these." She held up the fairy lights she'd bought.

The brunette wrapped them around the headboard of Emily's bed. When she finished, Bridget turned off the light, leaving just the glow of the painted stars and the single strand of small lights.

"It's beautiful." Bridget turned in a full circle as she took it all in.

Franky flopped down onto the bed. "Actually, I like it so much, maybe I'll make this my room and Em can take the other one."

"You mean make this our room," Bridget corrected.

"I don't know, Gidge, it's a pretty small bed." The brunette looked to either side of herself. "I don't think there's room for another person."

"There's not?" Bridget asked, and Franky shook her head. "Are you sure?" The blonde knelt on the bed, straddling her girlfriend's hips.

"I stand corrected." Franky let out a small laugh. "Come here." She reached up and gently pulled on Bridget's shirt to get the blonde to lay down on top of her.

Bridget gave the brunette a look, warning her to behave, but put up no resistance. She felt Franky's lips against the side of her neck, then felt her hands travel the length of her back and slip under her pants, coming to rest on her butt.

"Mmm." Bridget's small murmur turned into a giggle. "Franky."

"Mmhmm?" The brunette was still slowly working her way along the older woman's neck.

"We are _not_ having sex on her bed."

"I know, babe," Franky said as she nipped at Bridget's earlobe.

"Do you?" The blonde pulled back, giving Franky a big smile.

"Yeah." The brunette gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

Bridget moved to lay on her side against Franky, arm draped across the younger woman's stomach. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Can we just stay here like this for awhile?" The blonde hadn't realized until just now how much she was missing being held, and how safe and protected it made her feel.

"Sure, babe. She'll come find us when she wakes up." Franky ran her fingers over the arm Bridget had rested on her. "Are you tired? Do you want to sleep?"

"No, I just want to lie here with you." The blonde was quiet for a moment. "I'm pretty sure I fell in love with you the very first time I saw you."

Franky didn’t say anything for a moment, but just looked into Bridget’s blue eyes. “I knew you were different from everyone else right away. If I had to pick the moment I knew I was in love with you though, it would be when I opened the door and saw you standing there the night you came over for dinner.”

The blonde gave her a kiss, and rested her head back down on the younger woman’s shoulder. “Tonight is going to be hard.” Bridget said quietly. “For both us, and her.”

“I know. I’m not looking forward to it.”

********

The next thing Bridget remembered was looking at her watch, and realizing that they must have fallen asleep, because over an hour had passed. She glanced up, and saw that Franky was still sleeping peacefully, so she moved away from her slowly so as not to wake her. Her first thought was to check to see if Emily was still asleep. She peeked in their bedroom door, and saw that the bed was empty. She eventually found Emily colouring in the living room.

“Hey, love, when did you wake up?” Bridget sat down on the couch. She had hoped that the fact Emily had gotten up and came out here on her own meant that she was starting to feel more relaxed.

“Not very long ago. I saw you sleeping. Franky said not to wake you up the other day, so I didn’t today.”

“That was nice of you to let us sleep. You know if you ever need one of us, or if you’re sick or need help, you can wake us, right?” The blonde knew what Franky had meant when she had told Emily that, but she didn’t want the girl to think that she was never allowed to wake them anymore. Emily nodded, indicating that she understood.

“Hey guys.” Franky walked into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes.

“Em woke up before us and came out here on her own,” Bridget said, as the brunette sat down beside her.

“Oh, that’s great! What are you working on?” Franky leaned over to see the picture that the young girl was colouring. “That’s pretty. I’m going to start cooking supper, if you’d like to help.”

Emily put her things away and joined the brunette in the kitchen. Franky and Bridget had decided that they would talk to the young girl while they were eating supper about her sleeping in her own room that night. They didn’t want to just surprise her with the idea at bedtime and have to put her to bed upset. The blonde thought that maybe by giving her time to let it sink in and talk to them about it, it might make it easier on everyone.

The three of them had just started eating when Bridget decided it was time to start the conversation. “Em, Franky and I want to talk to you about something.” The blonde looked at her girlfriend, who gave her a nod of encouragement. “How did you like talking to Brad this morning?”

“It was okay,” Emily shrugged.

“Remember how you said last night you were scared, and we said that was one of the things he was going to help you with?” Bridget waited until Emily gave her a small nod. “Did you talk about that with him?”

“Yeah, a bit.” Emily had stopped eating, and was pushing the food around on her plate.

“Did he tell you anything that made you feel better?” The blonde waited again while Emily just nodded. She wasn’t going to make the young girl go into details if she didn’t want to. “Okay. So tonight, we want you to sleep in your own room. Franky finished everything in there this afternoon, so it’s all nice and pretty.”

“I want to sleep in your bed, with you.” Bridget could see the tears forming in her niece’s eyes.

“Hey, bub, you can do this. It’s just like how we were asleep in your room earlier and you were in ours, and everything was okay.” Franky knew that logic probably wasn’t going to help in this situation but she figured it was worth a try.

“But at night I want to sleep with you.” The tears were fully streaming down her face now.

“Love, listen.” Bridget reached across beside her and put her hand on the young girl’s. “I know you want to sleep with us, but you have to go back to sleeping in your own bed. One of us will still come in and read you a story if you want, and we’ll both say goodnight. We’ll be right across the hall, I promise we would never leave you here in the house alone.”

“I’m scared.”

Franky spoke up. “Remember this morning how I said that it was okay to be scared or nervous about going to see the therapist? It’s the same thing with this. It’s okay to feel that way, but you have to trust us when we tell you it’ll be alright.”

“Okay, how about you finish your supper, and then we can talk about it more if you want?” Bridget felt like they had pushed her enough for now.

“I’m not hungry.” Emily pushed her plate away.

“Em, you’re going to be hungry later if you don’t eat.” Franky got no response.

“Okay, if you’re done eating then I want you to go shower.” Bridget went back to eating her meal.

“I don’t want to go to bed early.” Emily’s tears started all over again.

Bridget pushed out her chair, and turned to sit sideways. “Come here, love.” She pointed to the spot on the floor in front of her. When the young girl stood there, the blonde reached up and wiped her tears. “I didn’t say you had to go to bed early. If you want to finish your supper then you can stay and do that, then shower after. If you’re not going to eat then I want you to go shower now. You can come back out with us after that until your normal bedtime. Okay?” Emily sighed. “Would you like a hug?” The young girl nodded, and Bridget reached out and hugged her. “Now, which is it? Are you going to finish eating, or go shower?”

“Eating,” the young girl said quietly.

“Okay.” Bridget rubbed her back one last time as Emily went back to her seat.

Once they had all finished eating, Emily had quietly gone to the shower, and Bridget and Franky were cleaning up the dishes in the kitchen.

“This is going to be harder than I thought, Gidge.” Franky said, placing the dirty plates into the dishwasher. “And what was with the mini-breakdown at the table? She’s never done that before.”

“It’s the first time we’ve told her she couldn’t have something she really wanted. We’re not all fun for her anymore.” Bridget sighed as she put the last of the leftovers away. “Do you want me to read her the story tonight or do you want to?”

“I’m fine with either. Let’s let her choose.” Bridget nodded her agreement, and the brunette gave her a quick kiss just as Emily was returning from her shower.

“Hey, do you want to play a game or something before bed?” the blonde asked.

“Monopoly?” Emily suggested quietly.

“Sure. Set it up and we’ll be right over.”

“I’m not paying for that damn movie this time until I know which one it is,” Franky said with so much seriousness it made Bridget laugh.

“Franky!”

“What?! I think it should be a new house rule.” She pushed start on the dishwasher and went to take her spot on the floor by the coffee table.

After a half hour the game had come to an end, with Bridget actually winning this time.

“It’s ‘cause you owned all the expensive stores.” Franky gave her a hard time as they packed up the game.

“Maybe if you’re nice I’ll let you shop there for free.” Bridget gave her a small wink. She glanced at the clock. “Em, it’s time for bed. Who do you want to read your story tonight?”

“No,” she said quietly.

“No, what?” Bridget asked.

“I want both.”

“Okay, but still just one story, alright? Go brush your teeth and we’ll be in.” Bridget watched her walk down the hall.

“You alright?” Franky put her arm around the blonde.

“Yeah.”

Franky and Bridget each took one of the small chairs from Emily’s miniature table and chairs set, and sat beside her bed.

“Auntie Bridge, can you lay with me while you read the story?” Emily looked up at her with tears already in her eyes.

“No, love, we’re going to sit right here.” Bridget picked up the book of short stories for kids that Emily had brought with her that first night that Franky had brought her home.

“Franky?” The young girl reached out towards the brunette.

“No, bub. I’m going to sit right here though, okay?” The brunette picked up the teddy bear that was sitting on the bed behind the girl, and gave it to her to hold onto.

They took turns reading the story, and by the time they were finished, it looked like Emily had fallen asleep. They carefully stood up, and returned the chairs back to their spots by the small table. They closed her door, and went to the living room to watch some tv before they went to bed themselves.

Almost an hour into their show, they heard Emily’s bedroom door open.

“Remember, we just take her back to bed.” Bridget whispered.

“Can I sit with you?” Emily gave them her best version of puppy dog eyes.

“No, love, go back to bed.” When the girl didn’t move, Bridget calmly got up, took her hand, and led her back to her bed.

The next time they heard from her was when they were in the bathroom brushing their teeth. Franky had just turned off the water when she heard the bedroom door open again.

“Are you going to bed now?” Emily asked.

“Yeah, bub. Go on back to bed. We’ll see you for breakfast.” The brunette wiped her face with the towel. Once again, Emily had to be taken by the hand and led back to her bed.

“Mmm,” Bridget sighed as Franky laid down behind her, and wrapped her in her arms.

“Feels good?” The brunette gave her a small kiss on the shoulder.

“Mmhmm.” Bridget loved falling asleep in Franky’s arms, with those small kisses. Even though it had only been a few nights without them, she had missed them more than she thought.

The blonde was almost asleep when she heard the door across the hall open. She hoped that if Emily came in and saw them asleep, then maybe she would go back to her own room. Maybe she just needed confirmation that they were still there and okay.

“Auntie Bridge?” Emily whispered quietly. Getting no reaction from the blonde, the young girl started to climb onto the bed.

Bridget couldn’t ignore it any longer. “Em, baby, go back to your own bed.” She felt Emily stop moving, but could feel that she was still on the bed. “Come on.” Bridget sat up, got out of bed, and walked her back to her own bed for the third time that night. When she laid down again beside the brunette, Franky pulled her close and gave her a small kiss.

Franky was normally a fairly deep sleeper, but the next time when Emily came into their room, it was her who woke when their door opened.

“Franky?” The brunette felt a small hand tug at the back of her shirt. “Franky?!” This time the girl spoke a little louder, and tugged a bit harder.

The brunette turned over onto her back. “You have to go back to bed Em.”

“No!” She started to climb onto the bed, looking to take advantage of the space between Franky and her aunt that the brunette had created when she turned over.

She was about to climb over Franky when the brunette put her arm up gently to stop her.

“No, bub. You have to go back to your own bed.” Emily started to cry.

Franky didn’t say anything more, but just got up out of bed, picked Emily up, and took her back across the hall.

“Stay here the rest of the night, okay?” She gave her a kiss on the forehead as she laid her in bed and covered her with a blanket.

As soon as Franky shut the door, Emily began yelling. “Franky! Franky, don’t go!”

The brunette stood in the hallway outside the door. She’d never heard Emily that upset. When she looked up, she saw that Bridget had gotten out of bed and was standing in their doorway.

“Auntie Bridge! Franky!” Emily was in a full on hysterical cry by this point.

It was breaking Franky’s heart, and when she met Bridget’s eyes, she knew the blonde was feeling the same way.

“Gidge, I don’t like this. Listen to her.” Franky sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Me either, baby. He said it might be hard though. We have to at least try, or we’re for sure not going to get anywhere.”

Franky let out a long breath, as she placed both her hands on the top of her head, and paced up and down the hallway.

“Auntie Bridge!!” Emily yelled so loud that her voice cracked, then turned to sobs. “Franky?” It was quiet compared to how she had been yelling just a moment before, but the brunette heard her loud and clear.

“Come on, baby, let’s at least go back in here so she doesn’t keep hearing us in the hallway.” Bridget reached out and took Franky’s hand, leading her back to the bed.

They laid there awake in silence, except for the occasional sound of crying from Emily’s room. It wasn’t long before Franky noticed the first rays of sunlight outside the window. She thought she must have drifted off for a bit without realizing it. She looked to her left, and saw only Bridget in the bed beside her. The brunette decided that she needed to check on Emily, or at least listen at her door to see if she was still upset.

She heard no noise in the hallway, and nothing when she moved her ear close to the door. Quietly she turned the knob and peeked into the room. Emily had turned on the strip of fairy lights around her bed, and surrounded herself with all of her stuffed animals, but she was most definitely asleep now. Franky quietly closed the door and went back to their bedroom.

“She asleep?” Bridget asked as she felt the brunette lay down beside her again. She knew as soon as she felt Franky get up that she was going to check on Emily.

“Yeah, babe, she’s asleep.” Franky pulled the blonde close, and wrapped the blankets around them. Tonight might be another long night, so they needed to take advantage of sleep whenever they could get it, and it looked like Emily was settled in for at least another hour or so.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's do another bonus chapter week! I'll be posting chapter 39 on Tuesday the 7th, and chapter 40 on Friday the 10th!

Monday morning came far too early for both Franky and Bridget. Friday night had been a complete write off as far as anything sleep-related was concerned. Saturday night had seen some protest from the young girl at bedtime, and one attempt to sneak into their room in the middle of the night. Last night went pretty well, but after two nights of being woken up, then laying awake listening to see if Emily was doing okay, had left them both groggy, and dreading the early morning and their return to work.

Franky heard the alarm go off, and felt Bridget stir beside her. As soon as the alarm was quiet, she pulled Bridget back in close to her.

“Let’s call in sick today,” the brunette mumbled against the back of her girlfriend’s neck.

“Baby, we can’t.” The blonde let out a small laugh. “Besides, we have the career day thing at Em’s school.”

“That’s not until the afternoon. We can have like a four-hour flu,” Franky said, finally opening her eyes as Bridget turned over to face her.

In one swift movement, the blonde pushed Franky onto her back, and moved to straddle her. She grabbed both of the brunette’s hands, and pinned them above her head on the pillow as she leaned forward and captured her mouth in a deep kiss. She nipped lightly at Franky’s bottom lip as she pulled back.

“You awake now, baby?” she whispered beside the brunette’s ear.

“Yep, I’m awake. Very, very awake.” Franky exhaled slowly as Bridget got off the bed, and went to wake up her niece to get ready for school.

********

“How are you feeling about going back to school today?” Franky asked Emily as they were all sitting around the table having breakfast.

“A little nervous.”

“That’s understandable. Today is a bit of a special day though, right?” The brunette had to admit that she was a bit excited herself about career day. She loved talking about her passion, and she always hoped that at least one person in the group might be inspired.

“Yeah, it’s job day.” Emily ate another spoonful of cereal.

Bridget gave a small smile. “Yeah, so we’ll both be there for the afternoon.”

“The whole afternoon?” the young girl asked, still eating.

“I think so.” Bridget got up to look at the notice she had hung on the fridge door. “It just says ‘afternoon’, so I assume…” she scanned further down the page. “Oh, Franky, it says you should wear any uniforms or job-related items if you’re able, so don’t forget to bring your chef’s jacket with you.”

“Are we all coming home after?” Emily looked between the two women.

“I have one more class to teach after that, one that you usually come to. Gidge?” Franky wasn’t sure what Bridget had arranged as far as work went.

“I’ll need to go back for a couple of hours. I did some stuff from home last week that couldn’t wait, but I imagine there’s a mountain of paperwork, and a backlog of appointments to get through.”

“So we won’t be coming home, but you’ll be coming to class with me like you usually do after school.” Franky gathered up the dishes.

“Go get your things, love, and I’ll drop you off at school on my way to work.” Bridget was putting the last few items into hers and Emily’s lunch bags.

“Still time for that sick day.” Franky stood behind her girlfriend, and her lips easily found all the right spots on Bridget’s neck.

“Mmm, stop using your powers for evil,” the blonde laughed as she turned to face the younger woman. “Be patient, baby. I promise you’ll get what you want.”

Franky smiled, and gave her one last kiss before she went to make sure that she had everything in her bag that she needed for the day. She didn’t have her first class for over an hour, but she wanted to make something to take in for Emily’s class and the other parents who were going to be there.

Emily returned to the kitchen, and took her lunch bag from Bridget. On the way to the door, she stopped in front of Franky. The brunette could tell that the young girl was a bit hesitant to leave her. She’d done well with sleeping on her own, but this was the first time she hadn’t been with both of them since the morning they’d left her with Vera to visit the school.

Franky knelt down in front of her, and Emily immediately put her arms around her neck. “I know you’re nervous, but you’ve been very brave so far,” the brunette said, rubbing her back. “You can do this, and I’ll see you in a few hours, I promise.”

“I love you,” Emily said softly.

“I love you too, bub,” Franky said, as she gave the young girl a kiss on the cheek, and stood up.

Emily continued on to get into Bridget’s car, and the blonde came to stand beside Franky. “I’ll see you this afternoon, baby. I love you.” The blonde gave her girlfriend a kiss.

“I love you too.”

The brunette watched the silver car disappear around the corner before she locked the front door and headed for her own car. It felt weird not to be around anyone, and she thought for a moment that maybe it wouldn’t just be Emily who would be having a hard time today.

********

Bridget pulled up to the curb, and parked the car.

“Can you walk me to my classroom?” Emily asked, as Bridget held the car door open for her.

“Just for today because I want to talk to Ms. Williams and let Ms. Johns know that you’re back.” The blonde reached down, and took Emily’s hand as they walked into the school.

“Good morning, Bridget, Emily.” Ms Johns happened to be not far inside of the main doors, and greeted them both. “How is everything?”

“Oh, good morning, everything’s good, I think.” Bridget looked down at the small girl, who was now leaning against her leg. “I said I’d walk her to her classroom today. I’d like to talk to her teacher for a minute.”

“Of course. Good to see you back Emily.” She smiled warmly at the girl.

Bridget felt Emily hold her hand a bit tighter as they approached the classroom. When they got to the door, she crouched down to talk to her. “I know this seems a bit scary right now, but remember what Franky told you this morning. I think she gave some pretty good advice, yeah?” Emily gave a small smile and a nod. “Okay, I’ll be back this afternoon. I love you.” She gave the girl a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“I love you, too.” Emily said before she let go, and went into the classroom.

“Ah, Bridget, good to see you again.” Ms. Williams reached out to shake hands with the blonde. “I’m so sorry to hear about your brother.”

“Thank you, it was….unexpected.” Bridget cleared her throat.

“I’m so glad to see Emily back. How has she been doing?”

“She’s doing okay right now. She’s had some anxiety about being away from me and Franky. It’s understandable given what she’s been through in the last year. Today is going to be a big test though in that way. She stayed with a friend of mine for about an hour a few days ago but that’s all. If there’s any problem, just let me or Franky know. We’ll both be here for career day this afternoon, so I think that kind of made her feel better about coming back today.” Bridget watched as Emily took her seat, and looked around quietly.

“I’m sure everything will be fine.” Ms Williams gave her a reassuring smile. “It’ll be great to have you guys here this afternoon. I think it’ll be fun for the kids.”

“Definitely. I’ll see you this afternoon then.” Bridget waved goodbye to Emily and made her way back out to her car.

********

Franky had set to work as soon as she got to the Centre making the first part of the treats she was planning to take to the school. It wasn’t long before she heard Liz come into the classroom.

“Hey, love, good to see you back. What’s this you’re making?” Liz sat a stack of papers down on the end of the counter.

“Just something to take to Em’s school for Career Day this afternoon. Lemon tarts with a cookie crust. Nothing complicated, I just need to get these baked so they can cool before I put the filling in.” She glanced over at the papers Liz had brought with her. “What are those?”

“Oh, most of that is just stuff for me. I do have something I wanted to talk to you about though. I got a media request.” Liz looked at Franky, trying to gauge her reaction.

“A media request?” The brunette shook her head. She wasn’t quite sure why that would be something Liz needed to talk to her about.

“Someone from the paper where I advertised the summer classes. I guess they do profiles on figures in the community, and they thought that some of your class offerings were unique, so they wanted to feature you in an issue…” Liz trailed off, seeing the look she was getting from Franky.

“I told you that picture was a bad idea.” The brunette finished measuring out the ingredients, and turned on the mixer.

“I mean, we can’t say for sure that’s the reason…” Liz caught Franky’s look again. “Just think about it, love. It would be good for you, and for the Centre. I know you love your job, but you don’t want to be here forever, right? You’ve got your restaurant dreams, and you’re good enough to do that. They just want to do a short interview, and I can fill them in on the details of what you do here. They’ll snap a picture or two and that’s all. It’ll only take an hour.” Franky was quiet. “Just think about it. They don’t need an answer right away.”

Franky sighed. “Okay.”

“Oh, and love, I wouldn’t mind if a couple of those ended up on my desk on your way out later.” The older woman winked, gathered her papers, and headed back to her work.

********

The afternoon had arrived, and Franky carefully carried her tray of tarts into the school. When she got in the main doors, she realized that she didn’t know where Emily’s classroom was.

“Hey, baby, this way.” Bridget put a hand on her back, and guided her down the hall.

“Thanks, Gidge, I didn’t see you out there.”

“I saw you coming in just as I pulled up, and I hurried because I knew you didn’t know where to go in here.” Bridget smiled up at Franky, and wiggled her fingers against her back. “Right here,” the blonde said as they approached Emily’s classroom.

“Hi Bridget, and…..Franky.” Ms. Williams hesitated slightly, but the smile never left her face. Bridget tried to read her and decided she sounded more surprised than anything.

“Hey.” The brunette smiled at the teacher. “I brought these for everyone. I hope that’s okay.”

“Oh, yes, of course. I can just set them aside until it’s your turn if you’d like,” she said, reaching for the tray. “You can both have a seat by Emily’s spot there, I’ve put out chairs for everyone. The kids are just outside finishing their lunch break.”

Bridget looked around the room. “And we’re early,” she said, seeing that they were the first ones there.

“Oh, it’s fine,” Ms. Williams smiled again.

After they sat down, Franky subconsciously reached over and took Bridget’s hand. It wasn’t even something she realized she did anymore. “How was your morning?” she asked the blonde.

“It was good, baby. Just really busy.” Bridget sighed, and Franky gave her a quick kiss on the temple.

“I’ll, uh, be back in just a minute.” The teacher gave them a quick smile as she left the room.

“Do you know her?” Bridget asked, giving Franky a playful nudge with her elbow.

“I slept with her,” the brunette said in a quiet voice. She glanced over at Bridget, unable to tell if the blonde was upset or about to laugh. “It was just once. Over a year ago. We kept running into each other at the coffee shop by my apartment. One night we got talking and ended up at her place. That was all.”

“Baby, you don’t have to tell me everyone you’ve slept with,” Bridget said with a small laugh.

“You asked.” Franky looked at her, confused.

“No.” The blonde shook her head, still smiling. “I only asked if you knew her.”

“Oh. Right. She won’t cause any problems. She’s a nice girl.” The brunette knew Bridget didn’t ask this either, but after what had happened with Kim, she felt like she needed to reassure her.

“Baby, just stop, it’s okay.” The blonde gave her a quick kiss. “You look good in the jacket by the way.” Franky smiled at her.

A few parents had started to come in, and they heard the kids coming down the hall. Franky saw some parents that she recognized from the times she’d picked up Emily, and of course, Cynthia was there. The brunette smiled politely at her when she caught her eye, hoping to annoy her by not giving her any kind of reaction. It only took Emily a second to spot them both, and she came running over. She gave Bridget a hug, then Franky.

“Hey, bub. Did you have a good morning?” the brunette asked the young girl.

“Yeah! We went on a nature walk.” Emily went on to explain everything she’d seen and learned about on the walk.

“Okay, everyone here?” Ms. Williams looked around the room, to make sure all the kids and adults had settled in. “Good, alright, so we’ll start on this side,” she said, motioning to the first seat in Emily’s row. “The kids can get up and introduce the people they’ve brought with them, if they’d like. Let’s get started.”

Emily sat beside Bridget, and listened while the other parents talked. The man before Bridget was just on his way back to his seat.

“Do you want to say who we are, or do you want us to introduce ourselves?” the blonde whispered quietly in Emily’s ear.

“I can do it.”

“Okay.” Bridget gave her a small squeeze on the shoulder.

“Emily, would you like to tell us about the first person you’ve brought?” Ms. Williams prompted from her seat at the side of the room.

Emily walked up to the front of the room. “This is my Auntie Bridge, Bridget. She talks to people in prison.”

The young girl returned to her seat with Franky while Bridget got up and talked about her work at Wentworth. The kids all seemed interested and even the parents had some questions for her. Franky admired the ease with which Bridget handled herself in front of a group of mostly strangers. The brunette had to admit to herself that she was nervous. Even though she was used to talking in front of her classes, she didn’t have her demos to fall back on, or to distract the attention away from herself. At least in her classes, she could convince herself that her students were watching what she was doing, and not watching her.

“Thank you, Bridget.” Ms. Williams said when the blonde had finished answering the last question. “Emily, you’ve brought someone else with you?”

Emily walked up to the front of the classroom once again. “This is my…” She trailed off. “My…” She stopped again, and Franky and Bridget exchanged a glance. “This is my Franky. She’s a chef.”

Franky walked up to the front. Bridget pointed to the tray of food she’d brought, and the brunette gave a small nod, indicating that she wanted Bridget to hand them out while she talked. Maybe she did unknowingly bring a distraction after all.

She talked about how she met her mentor, Liz, as a teenager, and how the older woman inspired her to learn as much as she could. She talked about her jobs in diners while she worked her way through culinary school, and eventually her job teaching at the Centre. When she was done she answered questions. A couple of the parents seemed interested in which classes she taught, and she thought she may have recruited some students for the Summer.

The brunette took her seat again with Emily and Bridget. The blonde gave her hand a quick squeeze. She knew Franky had been nervous, but she’d done really well, and gotten through it.

“Can I sit on your lap?” Emily asked quietly.

“Sure, bub.” Franky moved back in her chair to make room for the young girl. “You alright?” She felt Emily nod against her shoulder where she had rested her head. “Do you want your tart?” She had just noticed the two tarts that Bridget had sat on the desk for them. She felt Emily nod again, and handed her one. They listened to the rest of the parents speak.

When it was over, Bridget said goodbye to her niece and Franky. “I’m sorry I have to take off right away, but the sooner I get back, the sooner I can come home tonight and spend time with you guys.”

“It’s okay, babe. I’ll see you tonight.” Franky gave her a quick kiss as she hurried out the door then waited while Emily packed up her things.

“Here’s your tray back.” Ms. Williams came up beside the brunette and handed her the empty tray.

“Thanks.” Franky smiled at her, not really knowing what else to say.

“It’s good to see you again. I was kind of worried when I stopped running into you at the shop.” She sat down on the small desk beside the brunette.

“Yeah, I, uh, moved.” Franky motioned towards Emily as if that explained everything.

The teacher let out a small laugh. “Yeah I figured that out now. I’m glad you’re happy.”

Franky looked over and gave her a nod. “Thanks. I am.”

“I’m ready.” Emily had finished gathering her stuff, and came to find Franky.

“Alright, bub, let’s go.” The brunette reached down, and took the young girl’s hand as they walked out to her car.

********

Franky laid in bed. She could hear the water running in the bathroom; Bridget was getting ready for bed. They had put Emily to bed that night with relative ease, and she hadn't woken up yet at all.

The brunette heard the water turn off, then a few seconds later their bedroom door shut. When she heard the lock click, she picked up her head and looked at Bridget.

The blonde walked to the bed, and slipped in under the covers next to Franky. She moved to straddle her again like she had done that morning. The brunette smiled up at her. Bridget lowered herself to meet her girlfriend's lips, and kissed her slowly.

"I believe I promised you something this morning." The blonde pulled back and looked into Franky's green eyes. "If you're still up for it." She smiled, knowing full well that the brunette wasn't going to say no.

"Mmhmm." Franky stretched up to meet her lips once more.

Bridget nipped at the brunette's lip as she felt the younger woman's hands working their way down her sides, searching for the hem of her t-shirt. Franky quickly found what she was looking for, and let her hands glide under the fabric and up the blonde's back. Bridget pushed her hips into the brunette, needing to feel more contact.

Franky quickly moved them to a sitting position with Bridget in her lap, and rid the blonde of her shirt. Bridget watched quietly as Franky's eyes slid up and down her body. She felt the brunette's hands once more moving down her sides, thumbs trailing over her few freckles.

Franky's lips found Bridget's neck, and the blonde let her head fall back as Franky worked her way from just below her jaw, down her neck, and then started down her chest. Bridget tangled her fingers in the brunette's hair, and gently pulled her head back, so she could lean down and capture Franky's lips again.

She felt the brunette's fingers trail down her stomach then brush lightly over her clit through the thin layer of fabric. The blonde separated their lips, and held Franky's gaze as the younger woman let her fingers move farther, and felt the wetness that had soaked through her underwear. A small smile appeared on Franky's lips, as she let her finger brush over the blonde's clit one more time. Bridget let out a shaky breath, never breaking their eye contact.

"What?" the blonde asked, matching Franky's grin. The brunette shook her head. "Tell me, baby. What are you thinking?"

"That I want to fuck you."

Bridget had to admit to herself that the brunette's flat out admission wasn't something that she was expecting, and it turned her on even more. She reminded herself though that she had started this, and she couldn't give in to Franky just yet, no matter how much she wanted to.

"Not yet, baby." The blonde reached down and rid Franky of her shirt before pushing her back down on the bed.

Bridget moved herself off the brunette and reached down, hooking her fingers on her girlfriend's underwear, pulling them off over her feet, and discarding them somewhere in the dark behind her. She placed small kisses on the cherry blossoms that ran over Franky's hip as she ran two fingers over the brunette's wet folds. The younger woman raised her hips slightly and pushed herself forward, causing Bridget's fingers to barely dip inside her.

The blonde wasn't in a teasing mood tonight. She might be making Franky wait to fuck her, but she wasn't going to make her wait for her orgasm. Bridget let her fingers slide inside the brunette and set a slow, steady pace.

She continued her way up Franky's stomach, feeling the muscles move under her lips. When she got to the brunette's left nipple, she took it in her mouth, and let her tongue swirl around it. She looked up to see Franky watching her through half-closed eyes. The blonde let her teeth graze lightly over the younger woman's nipple as she pulled away, and felt the muscles around her fingers flutter.

"Fuck." Franky sighed, and let her head fall back on the pillow.

Bridget repeated her actions again, and again felt a flutter around her fingers. She continued her way up, nipping at Franky's neck. She felt the brunette's hand on the back of her head, halting her progress, and keeping her exactly where she wanted her. She curled her fingers inside of Franky, as she sucked gently on her neck. She heard the brunette let out a small moan. The blonde tried to continue towards Franky's jaw, but the other woman's hand held her in place.

"Do that again," Franky said, meeting Bridget's fingers with a bit more force each time now.

The blonde nipped and sucked at the sensitive skin again. When she tried to move this time, Franky let out a small whimper.

"Baby, if I keep doing that, it's going to leave a mark," Bridget said, leaving a small kiss just under the brunette's jaw.

"I don't care," Franky said quietly.

The blonde went back to the spot, as she sped up the pace a bit with her fingers. She knew Franky would probably regret it in the morning when she was trying to cover the hickey with makeup before she went to work, but she wasn't going to deny the brunette something she asked for and was enjoying.

When Franky untangled her fingers from Bridget's hair, the blonde left a trail of kisses along her jaw, ending with a small one on her lips. Bridget saw the brunette open her eyes for a second then snap them shut again as she felt another flutter around her fingers.

"Does that feel good, baby?" she whispered next to Franky's ear.

"Mmm, yes."

Bridget could tell that the brunette was getting close, so she started her way back down her body. This time she kissed straight down her stomach, and settled herself between the brunette's legs. She lowered her head and wrapped her lips around Franky's clit, as she picked up the pace with her fingers once again.

"Oh fuck," Franky reached down, and Bridget took the brunette's hand in hers, feeling her muscles start to tighen.

It only took a few more seconds, and a final flick of Bridget's tongue to make Franky clamp down as the waves of pleasure washed over her. The brunette drew in a breath as the second wave hit, and Bridget gradually slowed her pace to bring her down.

"Shit, Gidge." When Bridget made her way back up, Franky was still catching her breath with her arm resting over her eyes.

The blonde reached up and took Franky's hand, making the brunette move her arm so she could see her face. When she turned to face Bridget, and opened her eyes, she looked up and down the blonde's body once again like she had done earlier in the night, and Bridget knew that she wasn't going to wait any longer.

Franky reached out and pulled her close, kissing her hard and slow. She turned the blonde onto her back and began to work her way down the older woman's body. She let her hand slide down Bridget's side, and inside her underwear.

"These need to go," the brunette murmured against her girlfriend's skin, and the blonde raised her hips slightly to let Franky pull them down and off over her feet.

Franky was about to lower her head again and resume her path down Bridget's body when the blonde reached out for her.

"Come here," Bridget said, pulling her into a kiss.

When they broke apart, Franky pulled back and looked into the blonde's eyes. She felt Bridget move her hips against her. She let her fingers trail down the older woman's side, and felt her shiver. The brunette lowered her head again and brushed her lips over the sensitive spot below Bridget's ear.

The blonde pushed her hips against her again. "I want you to fuck me with the strap-on."

Franky pulled back and gave Bridget one of those cocky smirks that would be annoying to her if it was anyone except the brunette. She didn't say anything, just gave the blonde another kiss, got up off the bed, and retrieved the harness. Bridget watched as Franky tightened the straps around her hips and crawled back into bed.

"Tell me what you like," she said, settling herself between the blonde's legs, and giving her a small kiss. They had only used this the night of Bridget's birthday, and the blonde, not Franky, had been very much in control then.

"Just start slow. I trust you." Bridget wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck and connected their lips.

Franky reached down between them, and ran her fingers over the blonde's wet folds. She let her thumb brush back and forth over Bridget's clit, as the older woman whimpered into her mouth.

After a minute or two, Franky wrapped her hand around the dildo, and guided it to Bridget's entrance. She held it there, and pushed slowly forward with her hips, watching the blonde's face for any indication of discomfort. She continued until she was all the way in. The brunette stilled for a moment, letting Bridget get used to the feeling.

She placed a kiss on the blonde's jaw. "You okay, babe?"

"Yeah," Bridget breathed out.

Franky reached down and hooked the blonde's left leg around her hip, and Bridget quickly did the same with her right one. The brunette started to move, and Bridget easily matched her rhythm.

Franky ran her right hand over Bridget's body, over where she knew the kite tattoo was, and down her side. Everytime the brunette pushed forward, the older woman let out a quiet moan.

"Faster, baby." Bridget urged the brunette.

Franky sped up, as she took note of what made the blonde's breath hitch a bit. She could tell Bridget was getting wetter by the second, and the brunette loved knowing the effect she was having on the other woman. Franky raised herself up on her elbows a bit to get more leverage, and felt Bridget's nails dig into her back.

"That feels good, doesn't it, babe?" Franky lowered her head and placed a kiss on the side of the blonde's neck.

"Yes, fuck." Bridget's hand flew to the back of Franky's head and gently pulled at her hair, as the brunette's lips continued their work on her neck. "Don't stop."

Franky could feel the blonde's legs start to tighten around her hips, and the muscles tremor. "You're close aren't you?"

"Y-....ah! Yes."

The brunette smiled against Bridget's neck. She picked her head up. "Look at me, babe." When the blonde didn't open her eyes, Franky brushed the other woman's cheek with the tip of her nose. "Babe." The blonde forced her eyes open. "I love you."

"Ah...fuck...I lo-...I love you too." Bridget pulled Franky in for a kiss, but after a few seconds she couldn't concentrate on anything besides the feeling building in her stomach.

The blonde felt Franky's lips beside her ear. "I've got you."

The brunette always knew exactly what Bridget needed to hear. With a few final thrusts from the younger woman, the blonde's orgasm came over her, and Franky held on to her tightly.

As Bridget's body calmed, the brunette loosened her arms from around her, and placed a kiss next to her ear, then on her cheek, and finally, her lips. Franky slowly pulled the strap-on out of the blonde, and moved to lay by her side. She quickly unfastened the buckles and dropped it over the side of the bed onto the floor.

When Bridget opened her eyes again, Franky was looking at her with a look on her face that said she was very pleased with herself.

"You're pretty good at that, you know." Bridget gave a small laugh.

"Mmm, I don't know. I might need more practice," Franky said as she pulled the blonde close.

Bridget smiled and shook her head, then buried her face against the brunette's chest. Franky was about to suggest that they should put some clothes back on before they fell asleep, then remembered that the bedroom door was locked. She traced patterns with her fingertips on the blonde's back until she felt her breathing even out. It wasn't long before she felt herself slipping away into sleep as well.


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the bonus chapter! The next one will be posted as usual on Friday!

Bridget felt herself wake up, and realized she was still wrapped in Franky’s arms. Neither one of them had moved at all that night. She didn’t know what time it was, but she knew their alarm hadn’t gone off, so she could just lay here and enjoy being close to the brunette for a while longer. Her arm was draped over Franky’s side, and she absentmindedly let her fingers move over the brunette’s lower back.

“That’s one of my favorite things you do,” Franky mumbled, only half awake.

“Mmm, I didn’t mean to wake you, baby.”

“I’m not complaining.” The brunette smiled, and dipped her head down to place a gentle kiss on Bridget’s lips.

Franky moved her hand to the nape of the blonde’s neck and let her fingers run through her soft hair. Bridget’s eyes fluttered closed for a second. The brunette watched her face intently. She loved the way her girlfriend’s body reacted to her touch, and all the little sounds she made. Bridget involuntarily pushed her body up against Franky even more.

The brunette connected their lips in a slow, easy kiss as she snaked her right hand in between their bodies. She let the backs of her fingers brush lightly over the sensitive skin of Bridget’s lower stomach, making the blonde take in a shaky breath. Franky’s hand continued to make it’s way down the blonde’s body. She turned her hand, and cupped Bridget, letting her fingers rest on her folds. Franky could feel the wetness starting to pool there as Bridget pushed herself into the brunette’s hand.

The blonde pulled back just enough so that their lips were still barely touching. When she opened her eyes, she was met with Franky’s intense green ones watching her. The brunette gathered some of Bridget’s wetness on her finger, and moved to the older woman’s clit, where she moved it slowly back and forth over the small bundle of nerves.

The blonde splayed her hand across Franky’s back, hanging onto the brunette. Bridget didn’t know what it was about what the younger woman was doing, how such a small, simple action could feel that good. She closed her eyes and connected their lips again. Franky was a good kisser, a really good kisser, in the blonde’s opinion, and she seemed to know, without any prompting, exactly how Bridget liked to be touched.

The blonde knew she was getting sloppy with the kiss, but she couldn’t help it. She was getting lost in what Franky’s fingers were doing. The brunette separated their lips and left a kiss on Bridget’s cheek, then jaw, then the side of her neck, and finally on her collarbone as she applied a bit more pressure with her finger. Franky felt the blonde shiver and saw the goosebumps appear on her skin.

“You cold, babe?” Franky whispered as she placed another kiss on Bridget’s jaw.

“Mmm, no…” The blonde let out a small whimper.

The brunette continued leaving kisses along Bridget’s neck and shoulder before she returned to her lips. She could feel more wetness from the blonde on her fingers.

“Fuck,” Bridget moaned, and Franky felt the other woman’s body shiver again.

“Feels good, yeah?” Franky asked, and the blonde gave another small moan in reply. “Tell me what you need, babe.”

Bridget shook her head. The familiar warmth was steadily building in her stomach. “That feels really good, I’m close already.”

Franky concentrated on the blonde’s body, listening to the sounds she made, feeling how she moved subtly against her, the taste of her skin when she kissed her. Bridget’s breathing picked up a bit more, and the brunette felt the older woman’s fingers dig into her back.

“Oh fuck.” Bridget breathed out quietly.

Franky placed a kiss on the blonde’s collarbone, then slowly ran her tongue up the side of her girlfriend’s neck. Bridget let out another moan before her body shook with the first waves of pleasure. She tightened her arm around the brunette, and held on as she rode out her orgasm.

“You’re so fucking beautiful, Gidge.” Franky placed a kiss on the corner of the blonde’s mouth.

After a moment, Bridget opened her eyes, and smiled at the brunette. “Franky?”

“Mmm?” Franky had that half grin on her face again.

“That’s one hell of a way to say good morning, baby.” Bridget gave a small laugh before she pulled the brunette in for a deep kiss.

Franky laughed as their lips parted. “I do my best.” She lifted her head to look at the clock on the bedside table behind the blonde. “Uh, babe?”

“Yeah?” Bridget could feel the post-orgasm sleepiness starting.

“I think we forgot to set the alarm last night! You’ve got a half hour to be at work!”

“What?” The blonde turned her head to look at the clock. “Shit!”

They were both up and out of bed in seconds.

“You just get ready and go. I’ll deal with Em.” Franky shoved the strap-on under the bed with her foot. She’d deal with it when she got home later.

Technically, the brunette was supposed to be at work in a half hour as well, but she didn’t actually have a class until ten, so she could probably get away with it. She knew Emily would be a few minutes late for school, but she’d take her in and explain that they’d all overslept.

“Okay, thanks baby. I love you.” Bridget gave her another kiss as she grabbed her robe and ran to the bathroom.

Franky smiled and shook her head as she put on a t-shirt and shorts and went to wake Emily.

“Em.” Franky sat on the edge of the girl’s bed and put a hand on her back. “It’s time to get up for school.” Emily opened her eyes briefly, then closed them again, turning her face into the pillow. “Come on, bub, we’re running a bit late. I want you to get up and get dressed while I get some breakfast ready, okay?” The brunette placed a kiss on her temple as she got up to head to the kitchen.

“Franky?” The young girl said sleepily from her bed.

“Yeah?” The brunette stopped and turned around to see what Emily wanted.

The girl reached out to Franky with both arms, and the brunette knew that this meant she wanted a hug. She returned to the bed and bent over, allowing Emily to wrap her arms around her neck. Normally Franky would just return the hug then leave her to get up on her own, but today she was in a hurry. The brunette wrapped one arm around behind Emily’s back and the other under and around her legs. She squeezed the girl tight, making her giggle.

“Guess what!” Franky said excitedly.

“What?” Emily gave another giggle.

“Time to get up!” On the last word, the brunette picked up the girl, and put her over her shoulder. Emily squealed with delight, which turned into a laugh.

Franky held onto the girl’s legs as she left the bedroom and walked down the hallway. They met Bridget coming out of the bathroom.

“All ready for work, babe?” Franky asked the blonde.

“I think so.” Bridget let out a long breath. She wasn’t used to rushing in the mornings and she knew that she’d feel like she’d forgotten something for the rest of the day.

“You look good.” The brunette gave her a quick kiss. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“Me too!” Emily said, still in her spot on Franky’s shoulder.

Bridget gave a small laugh and the brunette turned around, letting her girlfriend give her niece a small kiss on the cheek and say goodbye. Once Bridget had left, Franky put the girl down just outside the bathroom door.

“I need you to wash your face, brush your teeth, then go get dressed.” Emily gave the brunette a nod and went into the bathroom.

Franky quickly put on a pair of pants and a singlet and went to the kitchen. She didn’t have time to do much about breakfast, but she didn’t want to send Emily without feeding her. She grabbed a pan and put it on the burner to heat up. She quickly cracked the eggs into a bowl, whisked them, then dumped them into the pan once it had warmed up. She went to the fridge and quickly grabbed everything for the girl’s lunch and shoved it into her bag.

“How’s it going, Em?” she called down the hallway as she stirred the eggs in the pan.

“Almost ready!”

Franky grabbed a couple more things from the fridge while the eggs finished. She laid out two tortillas and sprinkled some cheese on them. Then she added the eggs and rolled them up.

“Come on, bub!” she yelled down the hall once more.

“Coming!” Emily hurried into the kitchen, still straightening her clothes.

“Awesome. Here you go.” Franky handed her one of the wraps. “We need to eat on the way to school, okay?” She grabbed Emily’s school bag, and they made their way to the car.

When they arrived at the school, Franky could sense some hesitation from Emily. It was only her second day back, but she had been doing well so far, so the brunette decided to just carry on like normal. She helped Emily out of the car and they started into the school.

“Are you staying with me today?” The young girl looked up at Franky as they walked.

“No, I’m just taking you in because you’re a little bit late this morning.” The brunette felt Emily reach up and take her hand.

When they reached the classroom, Franky knocked gently on the door. Ms. Williams opened it, greeting them with a smile.

Franky gave her a small smile. “I’m just dropping Em off. Sorry she’s a bit late, but we all overslept this morning.”

“Oh, it’s no problem. Come on in Emily.” The teacher stepped aside so that the young girl could enter the classroom.

“Can I have a hug?” Emily asked quietly.

“Yeah, bub.” Franky crouched down and gave her a hug. “I’ll see you after school, okay?” Emily nodded then joined her classmates.

“Do you have any information on the summer classes you were talking about yesterday?” Ms. Williams asked as Franky stood up. “A couple of the parents were asking about them this morning during drop off.”

“Not with me, no, but I can send in some pamphlets with Em tomorrow, or they can contact the Centre and talk to Liz if they have questions or want to register.” The brunette gave a polite smile. “I really have to get going, I’m on my way to work.”

“Sure, see you later.”

Franky gave a quick wave behind her as she hurried back to her car.

********

Liz practically followed Franky through the door of her classroom. She hadn’t said anything yet, but as soon as the brunette passed her office door, she was up out of her chair and struggling to keep up with the taller woman’s fast pace.

Franky threw her bag on the couch in her office and grabbed an extra jacket off the hook beside her desk. “I’m sorry I’m late Liz, we overslept,” the brunette said, buttoning up her jacket, assuming Liz had followed her looking for an explanation for her tardiness.

“What? Oh, so you are. That’s not why I followed you, love. You remember the media request I told you about yesterday?” Liz was speaking fast, which Franky knew meant that she was either excited, nervous, or knew that the brunette wouldn’t like what was coming.

“Mmhmm. The one they want because of the summer listings thing in the paper,” Franky said, tying her hair back.

“I know I said you had time to think about it, but they called again this morning. They want to run the article in the next issue, and the reporter has asked to sit in on your last class of the day.” Liz ended with a half-hearted apologetic smile.

“The kids one?”

“When she called, she said she thought it was really great that you were offering classes for children, and I may have mentioned you were teaching one today.” Liz gave another awkward smile.

“Liz!” Franky sighed.

“All she wants to do is observe the class and ask you three or four questions at the end. Basic stuff like when did you start cooking….why did you decide to teach….future goals. That kind of stuff.”

The brunette took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I don’t know, Liz.”

“Franky, love, you’re good at this,” Liz said, putting her arm around the younger woman. “You’re good at cooking, and you’re good at teaching. I’m going to be sad to see you go someday.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Liz. I’m happy here.” Franky began her prep work for the day.

“I know you are, but I also know you’ve got a bigger dream, and I know you’ll get it.” The older woman squeezed the brunette’s arm.

“I’m just not good at…”

“Taking compliments, receiving praise,” Liz finished Franky’s sentence for her. “Yeah, I know. For once though, just say thank you, then shut up.”

The brunette gave a small laugh, and she and Liz exchanged smiles.

“Love?” Liz reached up and moved the collar of Franky’s jacket aside and smiled. “Ah. You might want to cover that up.”

“Cover what up?” The brunette reached up and touched the spot on her neck where the other woman was looking, and felt nothing.

“Go have a look in the mirror.” She gave her a wink and turned to leave. “I’ll see you this afternoon.” She called back on her way out.

Once Liz had left, she went into the office to look in the small mirror on the back of the door. When Franky pulled her collar aside, she saw a dark purple mark almost at the base of her neck.

“Fucking hell,” the brunette mumbled to herself. She vaguely remembered Bridget doing something there the night before. She understood the blonde not noticing it in the morning since she only saw her for a few seconds, and she was carrying Emily. She wondered why the young girl hadn’t said something though, she was usually very observant. “The one time she doesn’t notice something,” the brunette said, rummaging through her bag. She was hoping that there was something in there that she could use to cover it.

Almost to the bottom of it she found what she was looking for. She quickly applied some concealer, and blended it in, trying to make it as inconspicuous as possible. At least Liz had caught it first thing and not later on in the day before people saw it. She stopped for a minute. “Fuck!” The brunette had just remembered that she’d only been wearing the singlet when she’d dropped Emily off at school. There’s no way the teacher wouldn’t have noticed it. “Great. Drop the kid off at school with a hickey on your neck. Good job.” She finished with the makeup and threw it back in her bag. The day had started off very nicely but was quickly going downhill.

********

“You ready, love?” Liz had arrived early to help with Franky’s last class of the day. She had wanted to get there before the reporter arrived.

The brunette nodded slowly. “I think so.”

“What are you making with them today?”

“Quesadillas.” Franky let out a long breath.

“You’re not nervous about the class, right? It’s the interview after?” Liz leaned on the counter.

“Yeah, I think so. I’m just not good at explaining things sometimes. The class is easier because I can show them how to do things but when it’s just talking, it’s different.”

“I get it. I’ll be around for a bit after though to help with the cleanup, and Emily will be here.” The older blonde squeezed Franky’s arm. “There is one other thing I’ve been meaning to ask you. Have you and Bridget got anything planned with Emily for Halloween?”

“Halloween?” Franky thought for a moment. “Shit, that’s next week, isn’t it? With everything that’s been going on, we haven’t even talked about it.”

“Well, if you guys are looking for something to do, it’s my turn to put on the kid’s party here at the Centre this year. I’d love to have Emily here, and maybe she wouldn’t mind a little sleepover after. We could play some games or watch a movie, have some popcorn, and you two could enjoy the night off.” Liz gave her a small smile.

“I think Em would have a really good time. I’ll talk to Gidge.” Franky remembered the cop shirt she had found in the closet and sat aside, but wasn't sure that would be appropriate for a kid's party.

The brunette knew that Liz loved kids, but had never had a family of her own. Franky was the closest she had to a daughter, and now Emily would be like a grandchild.

"I think I see the reporter, just let me go check." Liz hurried out to greet a young woman, who looked like she was lost.

Franky glanced up from her work, and saw Emily coming towards the classroom, followed by Bea and Allie. At least she wouldn't have to make small talk with the reporter before class.

"Hey, bub." The brunette reached down, and rubbed Emily's back as the young girl ran up to her and gave her a hug. "How was school?"

"It was okay." Emily had her face half buried in Franky's side.

"Just okay?" Franky asked.

"I missed you and Auntie Bridge," she said quietly.

"I missed you too, and I'm sure Gidge will be glad to get home and see you tonight." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the rest of the students start to arrive. "Time to get ready for class, okay?" She gave Emily a final pat on the back.

"Franky, this is Kate. She's the one I said would be observing your class and asking you some questions afterwards." Liz had brought over the reporter.

The brunette shook the other woman's hand. Franky thought she looked to be in her early twenties, with light brown hair and blue eyes.

"So nice to meet you Franky," Kate said with a big smile. "Is she yours?" The reporter nodded towards Emily, who was already at her station with her apron on.

"Uh, no, I mean kind of yes, but technically no." Franky already didn't like being questioned.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to....it's just that I saw you with her and it seemed like...nevermind." Kate stumbled over her sentence. She sensed that she needed to be careful what she asked the brunette.

"I need to start the class now." Franky said, making her way to the front of the room. She still had a couple of minutes before all the kids would be there, but she didn't want to talk anymore. She busied herself at her demo station.

********

The class had gone well, and Emily was out in the classroom with Liz eating the food they had made. Franky and Kate had gone into the office to complete the interview part of the article. Franky had opted to sit in the desk chair instead of sharing the couch with the reporter. She didn't want it to feel like she was in therapy, or like they were friends. She just wanted to get this done so she could go home.

"I guess we should get started. I just have a few questions, and then I was hoping to take a picture or two. Is it okay with you if I record this?" She held up a small digital voice recorder. When Franky gave a nod, she pushed the 'record' button and sat it on the coffee table between them. "Okay, so my first question is: how and when did you discover your passion for cooking?"

Franky shifted in her chair. She was already uncomfortable, and trying to decide how to be somewhat honest, but not get too personal. "I was probably fifteen or sixteen years old when I met Liz. I was struggling with some things in my life and she saw something in me; potential. So she started teaching me how to cook, and I found out that it was something I enjoyed, and that I was good at."

Kate made a couple of notes in her book. "What made you make the transition from student to teacher?"

"I think it just happened naturally. Liz had started working here around the time that I was finishing culinary school and they were looking to add some cooking classes. She had taught me well, so that, along with what I learned in school, got me here. I love giving that back, and sharing what I've learned; seeing people get excited over being able to create new dishes." Franky was feeling surprisingly more relaxed than she had thought she would.

"The kid's cooking class is new for this session. What made you decide to offer that one?" Kate had put her book down now, and was letting the recorder do all the work.

"I was a teenager when I started cooking, and I always wondered what would have happened if I had started when I was much younger. Kind of like, how much more could I have learned by that point in my life? So I started looking around, and realized there wasn't really a class like that offered around here." Franky sat back in her chair.

"It's going well so far? You have some pretty young kids in your class, does that make it more challenging?"

"If you're talking about safety, yes, if you're just talking about cooking then no, not really. As long as you find recipes that are good for the age group then it's fine. Usually I teach the classes on my own, but for the kid's one I have a couple of friends who help out just to make sure no one gets hurt. Overall, yeah I feel like it's going really well." The brunette paused for a moment, remembering how her decision to teach the class had led to her meeting Bridget, and a smile formed on her face.

"Okay so one last question: what do you see in your future? Will you keep teaching or is there something else you'd like to try?"

"I think I'll always be teaching in some sort of role. Maybe not in a classroom, but definitely in the sense that I'd like to keep sharing what I know. My dream would be to own my own restaurant some day. I think most chefs would love that." Franky had just finished speaking when she heard her phone vibrate on her desk. She glanced over, and saw that it was Bridget.

"You can get that if you need to. We're done with the interview part, I'd just like to get a couple pictures before I go." Kate was already packing away the recorder and her notes.

Franky reached over, and grabbed her phone. "Hey, babe. Yeah...yeah, she's out with Liz at the moment. Yeah that sounds good. Okay, see you in a bit.....I love you too." She hung up and put the phone in her pocket.

"So she is yours." Kate said, taking her camera from her bag.

The brunette felt her walls going back up since they were done talking about cooking and the other woman was trying to move into her personal life again. "I'll stick with my previous answer, and I don't really see what that has to do with anything."

"Nothing really, it's just....people like to know the person behind the story." The reporter had a hopeful look on her face, like maybe her honesty would make Franky open up a bit more.

"Hm." Franky made a noise that was little more than an acknowledgment that she'd heard what Kate had said, and left no doubt that the reporter's plan hadn't worked. "Let's do those pictures, yeah? I need to get home soon."

Franky posed for a couple of pictures, and Kate even managed to get Liz to take one with the brunette.

"Thanks so much, both of you. I'll make sure to send a few copies over when the issue comes out." The reporter shook both of their hands, packed up her camera, and headed out.

"That wasn't so bad, right, love?" Liz patted Franky on the arm.

"I guess not." The brunette sighed. "I was fine talking about my cooking, but she asked about personal stuff, if Em was mine. I didn't like that."

"Oh I don't think she was trying to be nosy or anything. She probably just saw you with Em before class. Maybe she's got kids too, you know how parents like to talk to each other about their kids. She probably just thought she was being friendly." Liz gave her a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, but.." Franky trailed off.

"No 'buts'. Just enjoy something good that's happened, take Em home, and have a nice evening with your family."

"Thanks, Liz." Franky knew that Liz was right, and she was just being overly guarded. She gave the older woman a hug, then gathered up Emily so they could head home.

********

"Hey Gidge, sorry I'm late." Franky gave the blonde a kiss as Emily came up from the other side and gave her aunt a hug.

"No worries, I picked up Thai food for supper. I got your favorite." Bridget smiled as she unpacked the take out containers. "And one of my favorites for you to try." She reached down and brushed a strand of Emily's hair away from her face.

"Pad Thai?" The brunette tried to peek into the containers to see which one belonged to her.

"Mmhmm," Bridget gave a small laugh as she watched Franky. "Baby." The blonde reached out and put her hand on Franky's cheek. "Why don't you guys go change and I'll get the food ready?" She gave the brunette another small kiss.

Emily went off to her room, while Franky lingered in the kitchen.

"What's wrong, baby? You look tired." The blonde brushed her thumb across her girlfriend's cheek. The brunette still had a small smile on her face, but Bridget could tell from her eyes that something had happened.

"Can we talk about it later on? I just want to have supper then spend the evening with you guys." Franky turned her head and placed a kiss on the palm of Bridget's hand.

"Yeah, of course."

Bridget began setting the table as the brunette went to the bedroom to change. Emily returned in her pyjamas and sat on a stool by the kitchen island.

"Guess what we made today in class!" The young girl swung her legs excitedly.

"What, love?" The blonde was glad to see that Emily was starting to act like her old self again.

"Quesadillas!"

Bridget thought for a moment. "I don't think I've had those before."

"Really?" Franky had returned to the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I haven't."

"Can we make them here?" Emily looked from Bridget to Franky.

"How about on the weekend, bub?" The brunette put her arm around the young girl's shoulders and Emily leaned against her.

"Can I make them by myself?" She looked up at Franky.

The brunette hesitated. She didn't want to discourage her, but at the same time Emily was too young to be in the kitchen making a meal like that on her own. "How about I'll let you do things on your own, but I'll be here watching? There's a couple things I'll have to help you with."

"But I'll still be cooking for you?"

"Yeah, of course!" Franky gave her a squeeze.

"Alright, come eat!" Bridget sat down at the table, and the others joined her.

After a minute, Franky caught Bridget looking at her. The brunette smiled at her and kept eating, thinking that the blonde was probably just lost in thought.

When they had finished their meal, and were clearing away the dishes, Bridget wrapped her arms around Franky. "I'm sorry, baby," she said quietly, so that Emily wouldn't hear them.

Franky looked at her blankly. "What? Why?"

"This." Bridget gently touched the small purple spot on the brunette's neck.

Franky realized that Bridget was only now seeing it since she had washed her makeup off before they ate. "Don't worry about it, babe." The brunette smiled at her and gave her a small kiss. "Besides, Liz caught it before too many people saw."

"Did anyone see it?" Bridget felt bad that she hadn't noticed it before she left the house.

"Uh, maybe her teacher when I dropped her off. I took her right to the classroom because we were late. She didn't say anything, so I don't know, but maybe." When Franky finished, Bridget gave her a sympathetic look. The brunette leaned in beside her girlfriend’s ear. “I don’t care. It felt really good.” She pulled back. “Okay?”

“Okay, let’s finish up here so we can do something with Em before it’s time for her to go to bed.” Bridget gave her one last quick kiss, and they went back to their work.

A few hours later, Emily was sound asleep, and had been for hours, and Bridget and Franky were getting ready to sleep themselves.

Bridget wasn’t going to ask the brunette again what was bothering her. She knew that Franky felt more than comfortable coming to her with anything, and that sometimes she just needed some time to open up. When the younger woman laid down in the bed, the blonde moved to lay against her side, draping one arm over Franky’s stomach. Bridget felt the brunette’s fingers trailing lightly up and down her back, and she could feel her body starting to relax.

“I think it’s really sweet that Em wants to make us dinner. She seems to be getting back to her old self.” Bridget reached out for Franky’s free hand and laced their fingers together.

“Yeah, it’s a good sign. I was worried for a bit that it might take her awhile to bounce back from this.” Franky’s phone went off, indicating that she had a text message.

“You should check that. It might be Liz.” Bridget knew her voice was sounding tired but she was willing herself to stay awake until the brunette was either ready to talk or sleep.

Franky let go of the blonde’s hand and reached over to her bedside table. “It’s from Allie.” She opened the message:

_Text Message From: Allie  
Hey Franks! Forgot to tell you at work today…I’m having a Halloween party at my place next Saturday night. 9pm til whenever. Bring some friends!!! And wear a costume!!!!!_

The brunette put her phone back on the table. “She invited us to her Halloween party next weekend.”

“Next weekend? I didn’t even think of Halloween. Em is probably expecting to do something.”

“Yeah, one thing I wanted to talk to you about was that. Liz mentioned it today too. She said it’s her turn to do the kid’s party at the Centre, and she asked if Em would like to go and then spend the night at her place. She’s got some kid’s Halloween movie to watch or something. I thought maybe we could help her out with it and it would be fun for Em, she loves Liz.” Franky took Bridget’s hand again.

“That sounds great actually. What about Allie though? If you want to have a night with your friends, I can take Em to the Centre.” Bridget wanted to spend the night with the brunette, but she knew it was healthy to have fun apart as well.

“Gidge! What?! No way. I want to go with you guys.” She thought for a moment. “We can probably do both. The one at the Centre ends at nine. We can just go to Allie’s from there and Em can go home with Liz. We’ll help her clean up when we pick Em up in the morning.”

“Two parties in one night? Not since my uni days.” Bridget gave a laugh. “But sure, it sounds fun. We’ll all need costumes.”

“You should ask Vera too. Allie said to bring friends.”

“Sure, baby, I’ll ask her tomorrow.” Bridget snuggled into Franky some more.

There was a moment of silence before Franky took a deep breath. “Remember that listing of Summer courses that Liz put in the paper with my picture?”

The blonde felt her mind become more alert. Here was what had been bothering Franky earlier. “Yeah, you looked hot.”

The brunette smiled. “Someone else thought so too. Got their attention enough that they asked Liz if they could write an article about me.”

“Franky! That’s great!” Bridget was happy for Franky, but when she looked up at the brunette she didn’t see that happiness mirrored in her girlfriend’s face.

“Is it?” Franky asked quietly.

“Yeah! Of course it is. You work hard.” The blonde stretched up to give her a small kiss.

“The reporter, Kate, came to the Centre today to sit in on Em’s class and then talk to me after. I didn’t really want to do it, but Liz convinced me. I was fine when she was asking about cooking stuff, but then she asked about Em.” Franky looked up at the ceiling. “She had seen her come up and give me a hug before class started, and she asked if she was mine. I wanted to shove her right back out the door. It just brought up all the memories from when I did the show and how they always wanted to dig a little deeper than you were comfortable with. Like I agreed to let her watch the class and I agreed to talk about myself and cooking, but that wasn’t enough, she needed more. She said that people like to know ‘the person behind the story’. I didn’t like it.”

Bridget propped herself up on her elbow, and looked into Franky’s eyes. “That’s a pretty normal reaction, babe. You’ve been through a bad experience with this kind of stuff before, and you’re cautious now. You’re also protective of me and Em, and that’s something I really like about you.” She leaned down and gave her a kiss.

“You do?” Franky had no doubt that Bridget loved her, and the blonde was very good at showing her affection and talking about her feelings, but Franky liked to hear the why behind it as well.

“Yeah,” Bridget smiled at her. “It makes me feel safe. It makes me know that Em is safe.” The brunette returned her smile. “So what was your answer when she asked you that?”

“I said ‘kind of yes, but technically no’.” Franky suddenly felt sad with her answer, and was glad that Emily hadn’t been nearby to hear it.

“Baby, next time just say yes.” Bridget laid down against the brunette again, and gave her a kiss on the shoulder.

“I didn’t want to assume anything.” Franky’s voice was quiet.

“Franky.” Bridget waited until the brunette turned her head towards her. “You put her to bed, you look after her every day after school, you teach her things, you watch movies and play games with her, you worry about her when she’s sad or not feeling well and you try to make her feel better, you’ve shown up for everything. You came to the school with me, and you came to the psychologist. I could list so many more things, but what really matters is that you care for her, you love her, and you’re there when she needs you. So next time someone asks you that, say yes.” The blonde watched the tears fall down Franky’s cheeks and she quickly wiped them away with her fingers. “You okay, baby?”

“Yeah, I just…yeah.” The brunette took a deep breath. “I just never thought of it like that before, you know?”

“I know.” Bridget wiped the brunette’s face for her again. “Turn over, baby.” Franky gave her an unsure look. “Turn over,” the blonde said again quietly. This time Franky did what she asked, and the blonde wrapped her arms around the younger woman, pulling her close. “I’m the big spoon tonight.” She felt the brunette laugh a bit.

Bridget placed kisses on the back of Franky’s neck and shoulder.

“Mmm, I can see why you like this, Gidge.” The brunette quickly found Bridget’s hands and took them in hers.

“It’s nice, isn’t it? You want to try to get some sleep?” The blonde heard a small mumble that she assumed meant Franky was quickly relaxing, and would be asleep soon. She could only imagine how exhausting the day had been for her girlfriend. Maybe not physically, but definitely emotionally. She was proud of her though, for getting the article, and for handling a stressful situation. Bridget buried her face against the nape of Franky’s neck and listened to her breathing slow down and even out.


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's this week's regular chapter! Enjoy :)

It was finally Halloween night. Emily had been eagerly awaiting the holiday ever since Franky and Bridget had asked her if she'd like to go to Liz's party and have a sleepover. The young girl was inspired by her bedroom design and said that she wanted to be an astronaut. Franky and Bridget had decided to keep their costumes a secret until that night.

Bridget had decided to be a pirate. She had tight black pants, a white shirt with gold buttons, and black boots that came almost up to her knees. She had gone to a used clothing shop and found a long black jacket with large metal buttons and decorations on it that she thought would work for the look she wanted. She had also found a red silk scarf at the same store that she tied around her waist. She’d had to go to the costume shop though to get a toy sword and belt, but she thought the outfit wouldn't be complete without it.

Franky, of course, had the cop shirt that she planned on wearing, but she didn't think that it would be appropriate for the party at the Centre. She had packed that costume into a bag and put it in the car earlier that day when Bridget had left to go to the grocery store. She had been browsing around online for ideas a few days ago when she saw one that made her laugh a bit. For the first party, she was going to be a burglar. She had black pants and shoes, and a black and white striped shirt. She had even found a black eye mask to go with it.

Franky had spent the morning helping Liz decorate while Bridget helped Emily put some finishing touches on her costume. Now that it was almost time to go, the two had decided to get dressed in separate rooms then show each other what they had for their own costumes. Franky had taken her clothes to the bathroom while Bridget was in their bedroom. Emily was already dressed and waiting for both of them in the living room.

"Ready babe?" Franky stuck her head out the door and called out to the blonde.

"Almost! You go out first and I'll be there in a minute." Bridget yelled from the bedroom.

Franky opened the door the rest of the way and went to the living room. When Emily saw her, she had a big smile on her face. The brunette held up one finger to her lips to tell her not to say anything that would give away her costume.

A minute later the bedroom door opened, and they could hear Bridget walking down the hallway. Franky saw the smile grow on Emily's face, and she turned around to see the blonde's costume.

"Gidge, you look good!" Franky gave her a quick kiss.

"You too, baby. The mask makes you look mysterious." She reached up and touched the soft fabric.

Franky gave her a wink. "You guys ready to go?"

"Yeah!" Emily jumped up off the couch, and ran to the front door.

The brunette put her arm around Bridget as they walked out of the house, and turned to whisper in her ear. "And by 'you look good', I meant you look really fucking hot." Out of the corner of her eye, Franky caught a bit of a blush in the blonde's cheeks. She thought it was cute that she still had that effect on her girlfriend.

********

"Liz! This place looks amazing!" Bridget looked around the large room at all the decorations.

"Thanks, Franky was a big help this morning." Liz was setting out the last of the food.

"She paid me in candy," Franky said, throwing miniature chocolate bars at Emily and Bridget before taking one for herself.

Liz looked at her for a moment, confused. "No, I didn't."

"You may not know it, but you did," Franky laughed, as Liz smiled and shook her head.

It wasn't long before the kids started to come in, along with some of their parents. Franky didn't recognize most of them, but she did catch one familiar face in the crowd. Cynthia had brought Owen, and it looked like she was planning on staying.

It wasn't long before the party was in full swing. Bridget and Franky were standing by the refreshment table, watching all the kids play the games that Liz had set up for them, when Cynthia came over to get a glass of punch.

"Franky, haven't seen you in awhile." Cynthia looked her up and down, taking in her costume. "Nice costume. Very appropriate."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The brunette felt Bridget's hand on her back.

"Oh nothing, I just mean it looks good on you." The woman took a sip of her punch with a smirk on her face.

"We both know that's not what you meant." Franky wasn't going to lose her cool, but she wasn't just going to stand there and let someone insult her.

"Well, it really is good to see you again. Seemed like you were gone for a while. I thought maybe there was trouble in paradise."

"Oh there's no trouble." Bridget spoke up. "She's still banging me." Franky looked at the blonde, surprised. "Quite often in fact. This morning in the shower, last night, and the night before, and the night before that, and well pretty much every night this week, and probably tonight as well."

Cynthia just stood there with her mouth hanging open, while the brunette stared at Bridget wide-eyed. Franky knew that there was no way anyone else had heard what the blonde had said, but she still couldn't believe what had come out of her girlfriend's mouth.

"Well...I...uh." Cynthia soon gave up trying to find a comeback, and simply turned and walked away.

"What?" Bridget looked at Franky and simply shrugged. "Got her to shut up, didn't it?"

"Well, yeah, but I think you exaggerated a little bit." Franky gave a small laugh.

"Not much." Bridget gave her a sly smile. "Unless I'm not getting any tonight?"

"Oh you definitely are." The brunette laughed, and gave her a quick kiss.

They walked around and talked with some of the other parents, and played some of the games with Emily. Before they knew it, it was time for the party to wind down, and for them to head over to Allie's.

"You sure you're still okay with keeping her for the night?" Bridget asked as she helped Liz tidy up some of the games that the kids were already done playing.

"Of course, love! I've got everything ready to go when we get there. We had such a good time last time you let me look after her."

"Aww, okay. If you need anything though, we both have our mobiles, so just give one of us a call." The blonde gave her a hug, and a kiss on the cheek.

"Are you excited to spend the night with Liz?" Franky asked Emily as they played another round of a bean bag toss game.

"Yeah she said we were going to watch Hocus Pocus. I don't know what that is though," the young girl said, tossing another bean bag.

"It's a classic. I watched it with her when I was younger too." Franky loved that Liz had always treated her like she was her own kid. She'd wished many times that she'd met her sooner.

"When you were my age?"

"No, I was older than you when I met her." Franky was worried that if this line of questioning continued, it might lead to a conversation with the young girl that she didn't want to have just yet. Luckily, she was saved by Bridget.

"We should get going," the blonde said, putting her arm around Franky. "Liz said everything is under control here. I told her we'd meet her back here in the morning to help clean up."

"You're going home now?" Emily asked the two women.

"No, love. We're going to meet some of our friends first, but then we're going home for the night." Bridget thought at first that Emily looked upset, but then the young girl simply nodded. She knelt down in front of her, "Be good for Liz, okay? I love you." The blonde gave her niece a hug.

After she had said her goodbyes to Bridget and Franky, Emily happily stayed behind with Liz.

"I just need to grab something out of the car before we go." Franky told the blonde as they exited the building.

"Sure. I'll call the cab while you do that." Bridget pulled her phone out of her pocket. They were going to pick up Vera on their way to Allie's house.

When Franky rejoined her, the blonde didn't say anything at first, but just looked at the bag. She couldn't imagine what the brunette would have needed to bring with her. They were planning to spend the night back at the house so it wasn't like they needed extra clothes or anything. After a minute, she couldn't stand her curiosity any longer.

"What's in the bag?" She tried to sound casual.

"A surprise." Franky gave a small smile as she looked up at the night sky.

"For who?" Bridget narrowed her eyes.

"Everyone except me I guess." The brunette was having fun leaving her girlfriend to wonder. "Are we going into Vera's place before we go to Allie's?"

"Yeah, I think we will. We're a bit ahead of schedule," Bridget said, checking the time on her phone.

"Perfect. You'll find out then." Franky gave her a mischievous smile as the cab pulled up.

“Vera! We’re here!” Bridget called out as she opened the front door of her friend’s house.

“I’m in the bedroom! Almost ready.”

“No rush, we’re early anyway,” Bridget said, sitting down on the couch.

“I’ll be right back, babe,” The brunette gave her girlfriend a wink and a quick kiss before heading to the bathroom to put on her second costume of the night.

Bridget looked around the living room. Vera had inherited the house from her mother, who had passed away not long after she and the blonde had met. The governor had never spoken much about her, but Bridget got the impression that their relationship had been strained at best.

Franky sat her bag on the small counter in the bathroom, unzipped it, and unpacked the contents. She had brought Bridget’s shirt that she had found, a pair of military-style boots, aviator sunglasses, a black leather belt, a toy gun with a holster, and of course, handcuffs. She took off her shirt, shoes, and mask, and placed them into the bag.

First she put on the shirt, leaving a couple of the top buttons undone. As she tucked it into her pants, she looked in the mirror and smiled, remembering the picture of Bridget wearing it all those years ago. Next came the belt with the holster. She buckled the belt, then fastened the straps for the holster around her thigh to keep it snug against her leg. She knew the gun didn’t look realistic since it was just a piece of brightly coloured plastic, but she wasn’t looking to go back to prison anytime soon. She put on the boots, and grabbed the sunglasses and handcuffs. After one last look in the mirror, she was ready to reveal her costume to Bridget and Vera.

“I don’t know, it just seems like some-“ Bridget stopped mid-sentence when Franky came around the corner. Vera turned to follow her gaze.

“What do ya think?” The brunette held out her arms to either side.

The blonde stood up and walked over to her. She reached out and touched the fabric covering Franky’s bicep. “Is this mine?”

The younger woman smirked, picking up the unintentional double meaning in Bridget’s question. “Yep. I found it when I was cleaning out the closet in Em’s room.” She watched the blonde’s eyes roam up and down her body.

Bridget cleared her throat and shook her head. “Yeah, looks…really good.”

Franky laughed, as she put her arm around Bridget’s shoulder and turned them to face Vera. “How about you?”

Vera nodded, and Franky noticed a bit of a blush in the other woman’s cheeks. “You look nice.”

“We should head out now. I’ll call us a cab.”

While Bridget made the call, The brunette put her arm around Vera. “You look nice too.” Franky gave her a genuine smile. The smaller brunette had chosen to dress as a black cat, and Franky thought she looked cute.

“Thanks.” Vera gave her a small smile.

********

When they arrived at the party, Allie greeted them with a tray of purple-coloured shots. They each grabbed one.

Franky felt the burn go down her throat. “Those are good, but strong, Al.”

“You know me, go big or go home. You look hot by the way, Franks!” Allie gave them a wink, and continued making her way around the room.

Allie had pushed all the furniture to the edges of the large living room, to make space for people to dance and mingle. Franky grabbed Bridget and Vera by the hands, and led them into the middle of the crowd.

“I’m just going to hang out here, I think,” Vera said, as they passed by one of the couches.

“Nah uh. Come on!” The brunette tugged on her hand.

“It’s okay, I’m good. You guys go and have fun. You don’t need a third wheel.” She gave a small smile.

“It’s all good.” Franky pulled on her hand again, and Vera reluctantly followed her. “Besides, wouldn’t be my first threesome,” she said with a smirk, as Bridget giggled seeing the look on her friend’s face.

Vera seemed a bit more at ease after a few songs, and another one of the purple shots. “I’m going to find the bathroom,” she told them.

Bridget wrapped her arms around Franky’s neck, and pulled her down for a long kiss. “I’ve been wanting to do that ever since you walked out in that outfit.”

“Is that so?” The brunette had that cocky grin on her face again. “Gidge, I think you have a thing for women in uniform.”

“Mmm, maybe.” Bridget smiled and pulled her in for another kiss. Franky let her hand roam under the blonde’s jacket, and felt her press her body into her.

“I’m going to go get us more shots.” Franky said in Bridget’s ear, before giving her a small kiss.

When the brunette got to the kitchen, Allie was just making a fresh batch.

“Here, I’ll help.” Franky grabbed the tray and started filling it with plastic shot glasses.

“Thanks, Franks!” Allie giggled at her own rhyme, and Franky figured she’d probably sampled a few of the drinks herself before the party. “I’m glad you guys came.”

“Ah, well thanks for having us!”

Bridget scanned the crowd, waiting for Vera to return when she felt someone walk up beside her.

“Hey, I like your costume.” The blonde turned to see a woman probably about Franky’s age, dressed as a cowgirl.

“Oh, thanks.” Bridget smiled politely. “I like yours too.”

“You wanna dance?” The cowgirl took a step closer.

“Actually, I’m here with someone, but thank you.” The blonde shifted her weight a bit to discreetly put some space between her and the other woman.

“Someone?” The cowgirl gave a flirty smile.

“My girlfriend.”

“I don’t see her anywhere.” The woman gave a quick glance around the room.

Bridget felt something touch her hip, and took a step back, looking down to see the other woman’s hand there.

“Relax, it’s just my number,” she said, slipping a small piece of paper into the pocket of the blonde’s pants. “You know, in case your girlfriend doesn’t come back.”

“Hey Franks, someone’s hitting on your girl.” Allie nodded towards the living room as she started to pour the shots.

Franky saw the woman slip something into Bridget’s pocket.

“No worries, Al.” She picked up three shots and headed back towards the blonde. “Hey, Gidge. Made a new friend?” She looked at the cowgirl with an obviously unimpressed smile on her face.

“Candace.” The woman smiled at Franky.

“Candace? Well, Candace, one of these is for you.” The brunette handed a shot to the cowgirl. “Consider it a parting gift.”

The smile on the woman’s face disappeared.

“Candace, this is my girlfriend,” Bridget said, barely holding in her laughter.

“Oh. Right then. Thanks for this.” She held up her shot, then turned and went back into the crowd.

Franky handed Bridget the other shot, and they tipped them back.

“God, what is in those?” the blonde asked, placing their empty glasses on the coffee table.

“Vodka, raspberry liqueur, lime juice and food colouring.” Franky looked around the room. “Hey, where did Vera go?”

“Over there.” Bridget nodded towards the opposite side of the room.

Vera was talking with a tall, good-looking guy with short dark hair and blue eyes. Franky hadn’t seen him before, but figured that he must be one of Allie’s friends. She guessed it didn’t really matter who had invited him, she was just glad to see Vera enjoying herself.

“Guess we’re on our own then,” Franky said as she wrapped the blonde in her arms.

They spent the night dancing, and talking with friends, but mostly dancing, and had lost track of time. They’d each had a third and fourth shot at some point through the night, and while neither of them would say they were drunk, they were definitely not sober.

A slower song came on, and Bridget moved in closer to the brunette. Franky remembered from their night at the bar that after a couple of drinks, the blonde was pretty open with her affections, and tonight was no different. She nuzzled her nose against the brunette’s cheek, urging her to turn her head to the side, leaving her neck exposed.

Bridget began to work her way slowly down one side of Franky’s neck, starting just below her ear. The brunette let her eyes close as she felt her girlfriend’s lips on her. The blonde took her time, letting her teeth scrape lightly across a patch of skin, then soothing it with her lips and tongue. A few times, she found a spot that made the younger woman shiver. When she had made it down to Franky’s collarbone, the brunette tilted her head back and turned in the opposite direction, allowing Bridget to continue on the other side. At one point, the brunette opened her eyes to see Candace sitting on the couch at the side of the room watching them. When the cowgirl realized she’d been caught, Franky gave her a wink, and she quickly looked away.

“Fuck, Gidge.” Franky let out a slow breath when the blonde had made it all the way up to her ear. “You need to take a break from that.” The brunette smiled at her.

“Mmm, why?” Bridget gave a small laugh.

“Because otherwise we’ll end up fucking in one of the bedrooms or the bathroom.” The brunette gave her a small kiss.

“I wouldn’t say no.” Bridget looked up at her.

Franky laughed. “I know, babe, but I’d rather have you at home later.”

“Then take me home.” The blonde gave her a lazy smile.

The brunette scanned the room, and saw that Vera was still talking to the guy from earlier. “Okay. We should see if Vera’s ready to leave though. We can’t just abandon her here.”

Bridget nodded. “I’ll go talk to her.”

The blonde wound her way through the crowd until she got to where Vera and the tall man were sitting on the couch. “Vera!” Bridget let herself fall onto the couch beside her friend.

“Bridget, this is Jake. He’s a friend of a friend of Allie’s.” Vera had a big smile on her face.

“Nice to meet you Jake.” Bridget reached out to shake his hand. “Listen, Vera, I think we’re ready to take off. Did you want to come with us, or are you good here?” The blonde gave her a wiggle of her eyebrow.

“Uh,” Vera looked between Jake and her friend. Part of her wanted to stay and talk longer, but she didn’t want to be left here at the end of the night to make her way home alone.

“It’s okay if you have to go. I can give you my number, and we can have coffee or lunch sometime if you’d like.” Jake had noticed her hesitation, and decided to offer her a way out.

“Yes, sure, I’d like that.” Vera found her phone in her pocket, and handed it to Jake.

“It was really great to meet you,” He handed it back after he had put in his number, giving her a smile.

“Who was the tall, dark, and handsome?” Franky asked Vera as they waited outside for their cab.

“Jake.” Vera smiled.

“She got his number,” Bridget said, putting her phone back in her pocket.

“Nice!” The brunette playfully nudged the smaller woman with her elbow, and Vera blushed.

“Yes, well, we’ll see.” She avoided eye contact with Franky and her friend.

“You’d better call him.” The cab had just pulled up, and Bridget opened the door for the other two, then climbed in after them. She gave the driver Vera’s address and then her own.

Franky had ended up in the middle, and put an arm around each of their shoulders. “What? So no threesome then?” When she saw the look on Vera’s face, she burst out laughing. “Relax, I’m joking!”

After they had dropped Vera off, Bridget stayed close to Franky. She played with the straps of the holster that were fastened around the brunette’s thigh while Franky did her best to ignore where her hand was.

When they arrived at the house, Bridget made her way to unlock the door while Franky paid the driver. “Keep the change.” The brunette climbed out of the cab, and joined her girlfriend on the front porch.

When they got inside, Franky closed the door behind them and turned the lock. She smiled, thinking of what she had planned for the rest of the night, then shook her head and took a deep breath to get into character. Bridget turned, and raised herself up slightly on her toes to give the brunette a kiss. Instead of lowering her head to meet her, Franky stood still.

“Babe?” Bridget searched her face, thinking something was wrong.

“I’m going to need you to stand and face that wall.” Franky nodded towards the wall at the end of the hallway.

“What? I-”

The brunette took Bridget’s shoulders and turned her around, holding the blonde’s hands behind her back. “I said I’m going to need you to stand against the wall.” Franky started walking her forward.

The brunette stopped just a few inches from the wall. “Put your hands flat against the wall and move your feet apart.” When Bridget didn’t move right away, Franky took the blonde’s hands and placed them on the wall above her head to each side. “Spread your feet.” Bridget moved her feet a few inches apart. “Further!” The brunette took the toe of her boot and tapped the inside of Bridget’s feet, making her move them apart more. “Now, I have reason to believe you’re carrying contraband on your person.” Franky leaned in over Bridget’s shoulder so she could see the blonde’s face. “You think this is funny?” she asked, seeing the small smile playing on Bridget’s lips.

“No, baby.” The blonde was more than willing to play along.

“That’s ‘officer’ to you.” Franky stood up straight again.

“No, officer.” Bridget could feel the anticipation running through her. This whole scenario was definitely working for her.

“As I was saying, I believe you have contraband on you, so I’m going to have to search you.” Franky leaned in close. “Okay?” She broke character just for a second to check in with the blonde. Bridget gave a small nod.

Franky started at the blonde’s arms and worked her way slowly down the left, then the right one from her wrist to her shoulder. She moved in closer behind Bridget and pushed her jacket open a bit more so she could run her hands down each side of her girlfriend’s body. She felt the blonde take in a deep, shaky breath.

When she reached Bridget’s waist, she untucked her shirt, slowly pulling the material free. Franky let her hands slide up and over the blonde’s stomach. She flattened her left hand against the older woman’s hip, and slid her fingers into the pocket of the tight pants. The brunette made sure to let her fingertips glide over the blonde’s hipbone since she knew that was a sensitive area. Bridget let out a small moan.

“Quiet!” Franky’s voice was close to her ear.

The brunette repeated the action, this time dipping into the right-hand pocket, where her fingers were met with a small piece of paper. She pulled it out and held it up in front of the blonde’s face.

“What’s this?” Franky asked. Bridget shrugged. “I think you do know. You could get into a lot of trouble lying to a police officer. Let’s try again. What’s this?”

“A number?” It was taking all of the blonde’s control to stay standing against the wall. Franky was playing her role very well, and it was turning her on.

“Whose number?” Franky stepped a fraction of an inch closer to Bridget’s back, and she felt the blonde try to push her body against her. “I didn’t tell you to move! Whose number is it?”

“I don’t know.” The blonde decided to at least pretend to put up some resistance.

“Yes you do. I know you do.” Franky moved her lips next to the blonde’s ear. “I know who’s it is. I rarely ask a question I don’t already know the answer to, so you’d better tell me the truth. You got one more chance.”

“Candace.” Bridget’s voice was barely audible.

“Mhm, the cowgirl. I saw her put it in there.” Franky let her lips lightly brush over the edge of the blonde’s ear.

“Fuck,” the older woman sighed.

“Sorry? What was that? I don’t recall asking you anything.” Bridget breathed out slowly, and shook her head, and Franky let a small grin appear on her lips. The brunette flicked the small piece of paper to the side. “You won’t be needing that, right?”

“No,” the blonde answered.

“I think you forgot something there.”

“No, officer,” Bridget repeated.

“That’s better. Now, I’ll need to continue my search to make sure you don’t have anything else on you.” Franky let her hands move under Bridget’s shirt, and up her stomach again. She let her fingers run over the fabric covering the blonde’s breasts, and felt her hardened nipples beneath it.

She moved both hands back down to Bridget’s waist, and around to her belt buckle. She undid the belt and the button on her pants, and slowly pulled down the zipper. At first, she let her hand slide in between the blonde’s pants and underwear, touching as lightly as she could to tease the older woman. Bridget let out another small moan, but this time Franky didn’t silence her. She moved her hand back up and this time when she went back down, she slid it under the fabric of the blonde’s underwear as well.

Bridget knew she was wet. She could feel it ever since Franky had started her search. She hadn’t realized how much though until she felt Franky’s fingers glide easily over her folds. The brunette smiled to herself, pleased that the blonde was enjoying this.

“Has my search gotten you all worked up?” Franky’s lips brushed against Bridget’s ear again.

“Yes, officer.” Bridget shifted her weight, trying to encourage the brunette to move her fingers.

“What do you think I should do about that?” Franky whispered. “Let you off with a warning? Or finish what I started?” Bridget didn’t respond so the brunette let the tip of her finger slide over the other woman’s clit. “It’s your choice. Tell me.”

“Finish it.” Bridget knew what she wanted, and she wanted it now.

Franky let her fingers sink deep into the blonde, and she felt the older woman move against her. The brunette quickly realized that Bridget needed more support so she turned her around to face her, and planted her knee against the wall between her girlfriend’s legs. It gave her more leverage, and it let the blonde hang onto her.

Franky thrust her fingers inside Bridget, curling them every so often. The blonde had a grip on Franky’s bicep with her left hand, and had wrapped her right arm around the brunette’s neck.

“Ahh, fuck.” Bridget buried her face against Franky’s shoulder, and the brunette could feel her warm breath against her neck. With each thrust, Franky could feel the blonde’s grip on her arm tighten. “Harder, baby.”

Franky obliged and it wasn’t long before Bridget was moaning against the brunette’s neck. Franky loved listening to her and knowing that she was making her girlfriend feel good. She felt a shiver run through her body, and a warmth in her stomach. Maybe this was the mental component of an orgasm that Bridget had been talking about that time. She pushed it from her mind, and focused her attention back on the blonde. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to come, but it wasn’t about her right now.

“Fuck, baby.” Bridget had felt the shiver run through the brunette, and knew she was enjoying this as well. “Oh god.” She felt Franky’s fingers curl inside her. “You’re close too, baby.” It wasn’t a question, Bridget could tell, but Franky answered with a small moan anyway.

A few more thrusts, and Bridget felt her muscles contract and release around the brunette’s fingers as her orgasm ran through her. Franky took a deep breath and tried to focus on the blonde, rather than her own body.

Bridget picked her head up from Franky’s shoulder and kissed her deeply, massaging her tongue with her own. The brunette took her hand out of her girlfriend’s pants, and reached down, placing her hands on the backs of Bridget’s thighs. The blonde gave a small jump, as Franky lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around the younger woman’s hips.

Franky managed to walk them both down the hallway and placed Bridget on the bed without ever breaking their kiss. The blonde could sense that the younger woman was getting ready to go for round two, but Bridget was ready to have her fun with the brunette. She tightened her legs around Franky’s hips and quickly flipped them over so that she was on top. She reached down, unbuttoning the brunette’s shirt and pulling her up so she could remove it along with her bra.

She threw them into the corner of the room, and pushed Franky back down on the bed. She leaned down, and captured one of the brunette’s nipples with her mouth.

“Fuck, Gidge.”

She didn’t linger for long, because she knew it probably wouldn’t take much to make Franky come, considering how aroused she was already. She felt the brunette’s hands on her jacket and shirt, so she sat up and discarded them both as well as her bra. Bridget pulled the red scarf out of her belt loops. She leaned down once more, connecting her lips with Franky’s. She felt the younger woman lift her hips, trying to create some friction where she needed it.

Bridget pulled back slightly and took each of Franky’s hands in hers. She moved them up above the brunette’s head and wrapped the scarf around one, then looped it through the headboard and wrapped it around the other, securing it with a knot. Franky hadn’t realized what she’d done until she tried to reach out and touch the blonde. When she couldn’t move her arm she looked confused for a second, then looked up and saw the scarf. She looked back at the blonde.

“My turn,” Bridget said with a smirk on her face.

“Oh fuck.” Franky let her head fall back onto the pillows.

Bridget straddled the brunette’s thighs and felt the younger woman trying to raise her hips again. The blonde reached for her toy sword. Franky watched as she let the tip of it come to rest on the brunette’s shoulder. Even though it was plastic, it still felt a bit cold against her warm skin. Bridget let it trail over Franky’s collarbone, and then slowly down between her breasts, and down the middle of her stomach.

When she reached the brunette’s belt buckle she tapped the tip of it against the metal, and Franky looked down. “Not yet,” the blonde said teasingly.

Bridget took the sword and ran it along Franky’s tattoos. The brunette felt a flutter in her core. When the blonde once again reached Franky’s pants, she sat the sword aside. She leaned down and connected their lips briefly, before turning the brunette’s head to the side, and going back to her neck, kissing, licking and biting like she had been doing at the party.

She let her hand trail down and undo Franky’s belt and the button on her pants. She didn’t plan on teasing her much more, so she flattened her hand against the brunette’s stomach and let her fingers slide all the way down to where Franky’s wetness had pooled.

“You’re so wet, baby.” Bridget murmured against the brunette’s ear.

The blonde heard Franky’s breathing pick up. She placed a final kiss on the brunette’s lips before she raised herself up and moved off the younger woman.

“Gidge?” Franky lifted her head.

“Relax, baby. I’m just getting rid of these.” Bridget moved to the end of the bed and untied Franky’s boots, letting them drop onto the floor. Next, she unclipped the holster from around the brunette’s thigh and pulled her pants and underwear off over her feet. Franky was now laying completely naked except for the scarf tied around her wrists. Bridget removed her own boots, pants, and underwear before settling back on top of the brunette’s thighs.

She saw Franky’s eyes travel over her body. “I love how you look at me.” Bridget smiled down at her. She leaned forward, and took one of the brunette’s nipples in her mouth again. She let her tongue run over the hardened bud and felt the muscles in Franky’s legs twitch beneath her.

Bridget moved to place her knee in between the brunette’s thighs, allowing her to open her legs. She moved to the other breast as she reached down and found Franky’s wetness once more. She let her finger’s slide inside as she brushed her thumb over the younger woman’s clit. She set a steady pace and curled her fingers.

“Fuck, babe.” Franky pushed herself onto the blonde’s hand. She could already tell it wouldn’t take long. “I’m really close.”

“I know. You almost came when we were out in the hallway. It was really fucking hot.” She let her teeth scrape gently over the brunette’s earlobe.

“Mmm.” Franky’s hands tightened around the scarf, and she strained against it. She could feel every muscle in her body coil up tightly. “Oh fuck.” Her body shook as Bridget continued to move her fingers inside her. Waves of pleasure washed over her as she felt the blonde’s lips on her neck and jaw.

When she finally opened her eyes, she was met with Bridget’s bright blue ones staring back at her.

“Hey, baby.” The blonde leaned down and gave her a kiss on the lips. “Let’s get this off you.” She reached up and untied the scarf.

Franky immediately wrapped her arms around the older woman, and ran her hands up and down her back. “Happy Halloween, Gidge.”

The blonde laughed, “You silly goof.” She gave her another kiss before she settled in against her side.

********

The next morning Franky awoke with Bridget still close beside her. They needed to get up and meet Liz and Emily at the Centre, but the brunette didn’t want to wake the sleeping woman next to her. She brushed a strand of hair back from the older woman’s face and tucked it behind her ear. Bridget sighed, but didn’t move.

She laid there and watched her sleep for a few more minutes before placing a barely there kiss on her lips.

“Babe.” Franky ran her fingers across the back of Bridget’s shoulders. “We need to get up.”

“Mmm, I want to stay here with you.” The blonde buried her face in Franky’s neck.

The brunette let out a small laugh. “Come on, babe.” She placed a small kiss on Bridget’s shoulder. “We have to go help Liz and pick up Em. I’ll go turn the shower on so it’s nice and warm for us when you get there.”

The blonde sighed as she felt Franky move away from her and get out of the bed. A minute later she heard the water in the shower turn on. As much as she wanted to stay in bed, she had to admit there were worse ways to start the day than a shower with your girlfriend.

********

They arrived at the Centre just as Liz and Emily were going inside. Franky’s car was still there from the night before, so they had taken a cab.

“Good morning, darling!” Bridget picked Emily up and gave her a hug. “How was your night with Liz?”

“It was good! We had popcorn and watched Hocus Pocus and she let me stay up late!” Emily told the blonde with a big smile on her face.

“Sounds like a big night!” Bridget said, as Emily ran off to say good morning to Franky. “Everything go okay, Liz?” The blonde asked, as she helped the other woman fold up a large tablecloth.

“Oh yeah, it was all good. I couldn’t get her to eat any breakfast though. She said her tummy was a bit upset.” Liz gave her an apologetic look.

“Probably just all the excitement and candy from yesterday. We’ll find something for her when we get home.”

It didn’t take them long to get everything cleaned up, and they were just about to head out the door when Liz stopped them.

“I almost forgot about these. I meant to give them to you on Friday.” She handed Franky a few copies of the local paper that had her interview in it. The brunette flipped through the pages. Liz put her hand on the younger woman’s arm. “I’m proud of you.”

“I know.” A big smile lit up Franky’s face. “Thank you.” The brunette gave her a kiss on the cheek before leaving with Bridget and Emily.

********

That evening, Franky was laying on the couch flipping through the TV channels while Bridget finished some work on her laptop at the table, and Emily was in the shower. The brunette heard Bridget close her laptop and walk softly toward her. Franky smiled and moved to a half sitting position, to allow the blonde to sit between her legs and lean back against her. The younger woman wrapped her arm around Bridget’s waist.

“I read your article earlier while you were making supper.” The blonde broke the comfortable silence between them.

“Oh yeah?” Franky rested her chin on her girlfriend’s shoulder.

“I thought it was nice. You spoke really well in your interview. It reminded me of something too.”

“What’s that, babe?” The brunette kissed her shoulder.

“I was going to sign Em and Tim up for your class this summer.” The blonde picked a piece of lint off her pants. “I’d still like her to do the class, so I thought maybe I could sign up with her instead.”

“Sure, but if you want to learn stuff, I can just show you here.”

“I think it would be fun to do the class, and she’ll get to meet some more kids her age.” Bridget turned so she could look at her girlfriend.

“Okay,” Franky had a big smile on her face. “I’ll put you guys on the list tomorrow.” She gave the blonde another kiss.


	41. Chapter 41

The past few days had flown by, and summer was quickly approaching. Emily only had a couple weeks of school left, and most of Franky’s classes would be finishing around that time as well. She’d then spend a week prepping for her next set of courses before the Summer session started.

“I love my job, but I have to admit I’m a bit jealous that you get to switch things up at yours every few months,” Bridget said, applying her makeup in the bathroom mirror alongside Franky.

“You get new clients though right? People get released, people get arrested.” The brunette gathered her hair, and tied it back with an elastic.

“I suppose that’s one way to look at it.” The blonde put her makeup back in the drawer, and turned to face Franky. “You look nice today, baby.”

A big smile came across the younger woman’s face. “Aww thanks, Gidge. You look beautiful, too.”

Bridget reached up and touched the phoenix tattoo on Franky’s left arm. “Are you going to get more?”

“I don’t know. No plans as of right now, but maybe someday.”

“I like them.” Bridget smiled up at her.

“I know.” The brunette gave her a slow kiss.

“Alright, I need to go and drop Em off at school. I’ll see you tonight.” The blonde gave her another kiss, and went to gather hers and Emily’s things.

Ten minutes later, Franky went back to the kitchen to see Emily’s book that she needed for today still sitting on the counter. Each student had to talk about their favourite book in class today, and she had picked one that Franky and Bridget often read to her at night.

“Shit.” She took the book and put it into her bag. She’d have to drop it off on her way to the Centre.

********

Franky parked in the parking lot at the school, grabbed the book from her bag, and made her way to the main doors. When she got inside, she met the principal in the lobby.

“Good morning, Franky.” Ms. Johns smiled at her.

“Hey, good morning. Em forgot this,” she said, holding up the book. “Is it okay if I run it down to her?”

“Of course. I’m sure she’ll be glad you brought it.”

Franky walked down the hall, and knocked on the door to Emily’s classroom. She stood to the side so that the girl wouldn’t see that it was her and want to come out and talk to her. She didn’t want to disrupt the class, she just wanted to drop off the book and leave again.

Ms. Williams opened the door. It took her a second to notice the brunette standing off to the side. “Oh! Hi, Franky.” She gave her a smile.

“Hey. I just came to drop this off. Em forgot it this morning.” She held out the book.

“Did you want to give it to her yourself?” The teacher glanced back into the room.

“Oh, uh, I didn’t want to disturb- are you sure it’s okay?” Ms. Williams nodded. “Okay, sure.”

Franky waited while the teacher called Emily to the door.

“Franky!” Emily’s face lit up.

“Shh, indoor voice, bub.” She crouched down and gave the girl a hug.

“You came to visit me?”

“I came to bring your book. You forgot it.” Franky handed her the book.

“Thanks! Will you read it to me tonight?” she asked quietly.

“Sure.” The brunette smiled at her. “You should get back to class now though, okay?”

“Okay.” Emily gave her a kiss on the cheek, and went back into the classroom.

Franky stood up to see the teacher still standing in the doorway with a smile on her face.

“What?” the brunette asked, feeling a bit self-conscious.

“I always knew you were a softie deep down.” Franky simply shrugged her shoulders, not really knowing what to say. Ms. Williams continued. “Since you’re here, there was something I wanted to mention to either you or Bridget. I know Ms. Johns told you guys about it, but I just wanted to remind you that on Friday we’re doing the family tree stuff. I don’t know if you think Emily will be okay with that or if you wanted to talk to her a bit about it first. If it’s something you guys want to do with her on your own instead, I can give you the worksheets and it’s perfectly fine if you want to take her out of class for that afternoon. Whatever you think will keep her from being too upset.”

“I’ll talk to Gidge tonight, but I think we’ll probably just go through it with her ourselves. I can pick her up at lunchtime on Friday.” Franky felt that Bridget would agree that it was better if they did it with her. She was worried that Emily might have questions or get upset, and she would rather they were there to help her instead of her teacher.

“Okay, I’ll grab the worksheets for you.” Ms. Williams went inside and was back a few seconds later with a packet of papers which she handed to the brunette.

“Thanks, I gotta run now, see you later!” Franky took the papers and went back to her car. She put them into her bag so that she wouldn’t forget to ask Bridget about it later that night.

********

“I don’t know who was putting who to bed just then.” Franky came back into the living room, yawning and rubbing her eyes.

“You laid down with her, didn’t you?” Bridget asked, looking up from her laptop with a small smile on her face.

“Maybe.” The brunette let herself drop onto the couch beside the older woman.

“The trick is you have to stay sitting up, or else some night you will fall asleep, and I’d leave you there if you did.” The blonde went back to her work.

“No you wouldn’t.” A small smirk played on Franky’s lips.

“Yep. I would.” Bridget kept a straight face, watching the brunette’s reaction out of the corner of her eye. “I’d have the bed all to myself. I could sleep in the middle and spread out like a starfish.”

“Nah, you’d wake me up.” Franky shifted closer to her. “And ask me to come to bed with you.” She leaned in so that her lips were next to the blonde’s ear. “Because if I wasn’t there, you’d miss me.” She was close enough that her lips brushed the older woman’s ear on the last two words.

Bridget’s eyes fluttered closed for a second, and when she opened them, she turned to face Franky. “How do you do that?” she asked with a smile on her lips.

“Do what?” The brunette looked from her eyes to her lips then back again.

“Make ‘annoyingly cocky’ so fucking hot.” She held the younger woman’s gaze.

“Guess it’s just my natural charm.” Franky placed a soft kiss on her lips, and Bridget just shook her head. “On a serious note though, Gidge, I do have something we need to talk about.”

“Okay.” Bridget closed her laptop and put it on the coffee table. “Nothing bad I hope.”

“I don’t think so. Just something we have to figure out.” The brunette got up, found the worksheets in her bag, and brought them back with her as she sat down by the older woman again. “Beth gave these to me when I went to drop off the book that Em forgot today.”

“Beth?” Bridget thought for a moment. “How did I not know her first name?”

Franky shrugged. “I haven’t seen it on anything Em has brought home so far.” She handed the papers to the blonde. “It’s the family tree thing. They’re doing it in class on Friday afternoon.” The brunette had prepared her reasoning for why she thought they should keep Emily home and talk to her about it. She had just opened her mouth to give her side when Bridget spoke.

“I think we should do this with her. One of us can pick her up at noon and then we’ll have the weekend.” The blonde looked over at Franky, who still had her mouth half open. “What?”

“Nothing. I was just going to say the same thing, and you beat me to it.” The brunette smiled, relieved.

“I think she’s been through enough. I know it seems like something small, but she’s going to hear the other kids talking about their parents, and I don’t want that bringing up things for her. Even the happy memories can make someone sad in certain situations. She’s only got about a week and a half left anyway so one afternoon won’t matter. Let’s just ease her through the rest of this term then she’ll have the summer, and hopefully she can have a more stable, settled year next year.”

Franky let out a long breath, and nodded her head.

“Baby.” Bridget put a hand on the brunette’s cheek. She knew what the younger woman was thinking. “I know you love her, and that you’re protective of her, and I get why that is. We’re on the same page though, okay?”

Franky nodded again. “I’m sorry.”

“Nope, no sorries, everything’s fine. I’m so glad that Em has someone else who cares about her now, too.” The blonde gave her a quick kiss. “Okay?”

“Yeah.” Franky’s voice was quiet, and Bridget put an arm around her. “Gidge?”

“Mm?” The blonde was still reading through the papers Franky had given her.

“I was thinking about the summer. The Centre has some day camp stuff.”

“Yeah, I was just looking at that the other day actually. There’s an art one on Mondays and Wednesdays I thought she might like, and a science one on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Then of course you’ll have both of us on Thursday evenings.” Bridget smiled and squeezed the brunette’s shoulder. “Plus they all end about the same time as her school day did, so you’ll still get to spend some time with her each afternoon.”

“That sounds great! Bea is teaching the art one. She’ll love it!” Franky knew her friend would be happy to have the young girl in her class, and Emily loved to draw already.

“That would just leave Fridays.”

“Fridays are my short days again anyway so she can just come with me for the morning.” Franky’s mood was already lifting.

“Okay, good, it’s settled then.” Bridget set the papers aside on the coffee table. “I can leave early this Friday and pick her up from school.”

“I can do it. It’s kind of silly for you to take time off when I’m available anyway.” Franky ran her hand along the top of the blonde’s thigh.

“I know, it’s just…” Bridget trailed off.

“It’s just what?” the brunette asked, giving her leg a small squeeze.

“I literally don’t know how I would do all of this without you,” the blonde sighed.

“Good thing you don’t have to then, huh?” Franky leaned into her and smiled. “But even if you did, you’d figure it out, you’d make it work.”

“Yeah.” Bridget returned her smile. “You don’t mind picking her up?”

“Of course not!”

“Okay, I’ll call the school tomorrow and let them know.” The blonde picked up the remote. “Want to watch an episode of this show I found before bed?”

“Sure. What’s it called?” Franky got up to get them each something to drink before they settled in to watch it.

“Rush. There’s this really hot cop named Stella.” The blonde navigated through the screens.

“You and cops, Gidge.” The brunette laughed, as she sat down beside her.

********

It was lunchtime on Friday, and Franky had just pulled into the parking lot at Emily’s school. They had told her that the brunette would be picking her up early today, but they hadn’t said why.

She walked through the hallways until she came to Emily’s classroom. Ms. Williams was just finishing up the morning’s lessons, so Franky leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, and waited. After a few minutes, kids began leaving the classroom. She was lost in thought when she felt a tap on her elbow. She looked down to see a small boy standing there.

“I’m taking your class this summer,” he said quietly.

Franky crouched down. “That’s awesome! So you like cooking?”

The boy nodded. “I don’t know much yet.”

“That’s okay. That’s why you take classes, right?” He nodded again.

“I’m taking your class, too. With my mom.” A girl from Emily’s class had joined the boy.

Franky saw Emily making her way out of the room. “That’s great! I’ll see you both in a couple weeks then, okay?” They both nodded, and the brunette stood up. “Hey, bub, you ready to go?”

“Yeah!” The young girl reached up and took Franky’s hand.

When they got home, the brunette was restless. It would be another few hours until Bridget got home, and she was worried about how their talk with Emily would go tonight. She decided to distract herself the best way she knew how; cooking.

She and Emily were just finishing up their lunch. “So I was thinking, would you like to make a special dessert to have after supper?” The brunette knew that part of the reason she was making the offer because she was worried that what they were going to talk about afterwards would upset the young girl. On the other hand though, she reasoned that it wasn’t that far out of the ordinary either.

“The one you made with fire.” Emily had a big smile on her face.

“The one I made with fire?” Franky thought for a moment before it came to her. “Crème brûlée?”

“Yeah!”

“Okay, help me clean up then we’ll get started. It has to sit in the fridge for awhile before we can eat it, so we’ll start early.” The brunette did a quick check of the fridge and cabinets to make sure they had everything they needed.

Franky watched while Emily carefully followed the recipe, letting her do as much as possible on her own. The brunette remembered when she had made this same dessert for Bridget the first time.

“You know, I made this for your auntie on our first date.” Franky helped her turn on the stove.

“You did?”

“Yep, I did. I cooked supper for her, and this is what we had for dessert.” The brunette thought back to the moment she opened the door and saw Bridget standing there in her little black dress.

“And then what?” Emily carefully stirred the cream and vanilla in the saucepan.

“Then we talked and played a board game.” Franky was beginning to think she had started a bad conversation.

“Then you came here,” the young girl stated.

“The next morning, yes. Remember we made breakfast for Auntie and Vera?” The girl looked at her for a long moment, nodded, then went back to stirring the contents of the saucepan.

After they had baked and cooled the desserts, they set the pan in the fridge to chill until it was time to use the ‘fire’ as Emily called it to brown the tops just before they were ready to eat them.

********

Bridget had left work about an hour early, and was greeted by the smell of baked goods when she arrived home. She dropped her bag at the end of the couch where Franky was flipping through a magazine.

“Hey, babe.” The brunette let her head fall backwards.

“Hey.” Bridget leaned over from behind and gave her an upside-down kiss. “It smells great in here. Where’s Em?”

“We made something special for dessert, and she’s in her room playing.” Franky put the magazine down beside her.

“Okay. I’ll be right back, I need to get out of these clothes.” The blonde gave her another kiss.

“Need any help?”

Bridget just shook her head and smiled. “Maybe later.”

When the blonde returned, she sat with Franky, and leaned into her. The brunette wrapped an arm around her.

“What do you think is the best way to talk to her about it?” Franky had been thinking about it for days, and she finally needed to talk about it.

“I think we should just go through what the teacher was going to talk about and then do the tree. It might not even be an issue for her. This whole thing with us doing it with her instead is kind of just a precautionary thing. She might not have a problem with it at all.” Bridget was hoping if they approached it like it wasn’t a big deal, then maybe Emily wouldn’t think too much about it.

“Okay. I’m going to start supper.”

********

Once they had eaten, Franky and Emily went to work on the final step of making the dessert. They sprinkled the last of the sugar and vanilla on the three dishes, and the brunette got out her chef’s blowtorch.

“Now, a few very important things,” Franky began, still holding the blowtorch. “I let you do a lot of things on your own today, and I’m going to let you do most of this part too, but the rule is that you don’t cook, or use sharp knives, or anything hot, or any of the appliances without an adult in the kitchen with you. Either myself, Gidge, or Liz, okay?” She waited for Emily to agree. “Okay, so the trick to this part is to get the sugar on top brown and crispy without burning it.”

She moved to stand directly behind the young girl, who was on the small step stool to give her enough height to comfortably work on the counter. She set the blowtorch on the counter. “Pick it up with whichever hand feels most comfortable.” Emily reached out and took it with her right hand. “I’m going to help at first, okay?” The young girl nodded, and Franky reached out from behind and covered Emily’s hand with her own. “So this button turns it on, and the same one turns it off when we’re done.” The brunette clicked the button with her thumb, and the blowtorch lit. “So you don’t want to be too close or it’ll burn really fast.” Franky guided her hand until the first dessert was a golden brown on top. “Now move on to the next one, and do it just like I showed you and try to make them all the same colour.”

The brunette loosened her grip and allowed Emily to do most of the work on the final two.

“Okay, good. Turn it off. We have to wait for a few minutes while they cool a bit.” She waited while Emily clicked the button and the blowtorch turned off. “So after you use that, it’ll be really hot for awhile. You need to leave it upright, don’t lay it down on anything, and don’t touch the end where the flame was.”

Emily nodded and hopped down off the stool.

“What was the rule about that that I said before we started?” Franky asked, pointing to it on the counter.

“Don’t use it unless you’re in the kitchen too.” She started back to the table.

“Right. And Em,” the brunette waited for her to turn around. “You did really well with that.” A large smile appeared on the young girl’s face.

********

"That was delicious, Em." Bridget gave the young girl a small squeeze of the shoulder as the blonde passed by her on her way to the kitchen. "Don't go too far, we have something we want to do with you in a minute."

"I'm really hoping she just thinks it's fun and interesting," Franky said, wiping off the stovetop as Bridget put the dishes in the dishwasher. 

"I know, baby," the blonde sighed.

Franky grabbed the worksheets, and sat on the floor in front of the coffee table.

"Em, love, can you come back out here?" Bridget called down the hallway.

When Emily came back into the living room, Franky patted the space on the rug beside her. "Come sit with me."

Bridget followed, putting the young girl between them. "Ms. Williams sent home a little project for us to do together. Do you know what a family tree is?" the blonde asked, as Franky spread out the sheets on the table. Emily shook her head, so Bridget started to explain. "A family tree is kind of like a map of your family, the people you're related to. So people like parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins."

The brunette slid one of the sheets in front of the young girl. "So on this sheet, we're going to write the names of the people in your family. Auntie will tell you their names if you don't know them and I'll help with the spelling. So this first box here is for your name."

The blonde waited while Emily wrote her name in the box. "In the next boxes would be your mom and dad. Do you know their names?" Bridget held her breath.

"Dad is Tim. Mom is Sarah." Emily began to write the names in the boxes.

"Good. Did your mom have any brothers or sisters?" Franky asked her. Emily shook her head. "Did your dad have any?"

"Auntie Bridge." Emily laughed, clearly thinking it was funny that Franky would ask that with Bridget sitting right there with them. The two adults smiled as well. Things were going better than they had anticipated.

They worked their way through her grandparents and great-grandparents. The project only went back to great-great-grandparents, which Bridget knew all but one of their names.

"There, you're all done, love. You should go put it in your bag so you don't forget it on Monday." The blonde moved to the side so that Emily could get out from between them.

"It's not done yet. I need to put Franky with you." The young girl touched her pencil to the paper.

"No, bub. I'm not on there," Franky said as she gathered the rest of the papers.

"Yeah, you're with Auntie Bridge." She started to draw a line from Bridget's name.

"That's not how this kind of a family tree works." Bridget said gently.

"What do you mean? You said we were a family." Emily looked from her aunt to Franky.

The brunette looked over the top of the young girl's head at Bridget. "Yeah we are," she said, lowering her head so her face was next to Emily's. "But there are different kinds of families."

Bridget decided to try to help explain. "The people on this tree are related to you in some way. Some of them are your blood relatives. That means that part of them has helped to physically make you. That's why maybe you look a bit like some of them."

"Like how you and your dad and Auntie all have blue eyes, and you and her have blonde hair." That was one of the first things that Franky had noticed when she'd met Bridget; how much the little girl looked like her with her blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

Bridget nodded. "Or they would be on there if they married one of your relatives and had kids. Sometimes though, you meet people and you become really good friends, or you're in a relationship but you aren't married, and they become like your family too. They aren't a relative though, or married to one, so they wouldn't be included in something like this." The blonde pointed to Emily's family tree. "They would be on their own tree with their family. It doesn't mean that you care about them any less, sometimes maybe you're even closer to them."

"But I love her like I love you and Mom and Dad, and I want her to be family." Emily looked to her aunt again.

The blonde looked at Franky, who was wiping tears from her cheeks. "I know you do, love, and whether or not her name is on this paper doesn't change that," she said, focusing her attention back on the young girl.

Franky put her arm around Emily. "I'll always be here for you."

"Olivia in my class said that her Mom and Dad stopped loving each other and now she doesn't get to see her dad."

The brunette looked at Bridget. She certainly wasn't planning on leaving the blonde. She loved her more than she had loved anyone before. She often thought back to their night in Wentworth, and the promise she had made to her girlfriend. It didn't matter to her that Bridget hadn't heard it, she intended to follow through. Initially, she had thought that she'd ask her not long after she'd gotten out of prison, but things with Emily and Tim had become the priority. It didn't seem right proposing to the blonde when she had so much else on her mind. Things were starting to fall into some sense of normalcy the past couple of weeks though, and it was playing on her mind again.

"Love, even if for some reason Franky wasn't my girlfriend anymore, you would still be able to spend time with her if you wanted to," Bridget said, rubbing Emily's back. The blonde looked up and made eye contact with the younger woman.

“Yeah, yeah definitely. I’m not planning on ever going anywhere, but no matter what, you’re always welcome with me.”

“Em, why don’t you go have your shower now?” Bridget sensed that Franky needed a minute to gather her thoughts.

The young girl looked at Franky, then back to her aunt. Bridget tilted her head towards the bathroom, and Emily quietly got up and started down the hallway.

The blonde moved to sit beside Franky. “You okay, baby?” She asked, rubbing her back.

“Yeah, they were happy tears. It was just a bit overwhelming, you know?” The brunette took a deep breath.

"I know. She has a way of getting to you, doesn't she?"

"Oh yeah." Franky looked off into the kitchen.

Bridget could practically see the wheels turning in the brunette's head, and knew that she needed time to process. She figured the younger woman would probably be ready to talk when they went to bed. That had always seemed like her time to open up and decompress.

********

They had spent the evening playing card games, most of which Emily had won. Now, Franky and Bridget were laying in bed. The brunette pulled the older woman close against her, leaving no room between her front and Bridget's back.

"I never thought I'd have anything like this." Franky said quietly.

Bridget smiled. She knew her girlfriend too well. "You didn't?"

"No. I knew Liz would always be there for me, but I never expected something like this. Coming home to the same person every night, and being completely happy with it. A kid that I'd care about so much. Those were things I never even thought about, and if someone had asked me if I wanted them, I would have said I was doing okay without them."

"Maybe you were." Bridget said turning over.

"What?" Franky didn't understand what she was saying. She definitely didn't think her life before Bridget was better.

"Maybe you were doing okay without them. You didn't know at the time what you were missing, or how much you'd enjoy what we have now." She smiled at the brunette.

"I love you."

Franky's admission had caught the blonde off guard. "I know you do, baby. I love you, too."

"Gidge, can we.." The younger woman trailed off.

Bridget looked at her for a moment before pulling her close. She leaned in and brushed her lips against the brunette's. "Baby, if you want something, just ask for it." She trailed her fingers over Franky's back. She didn't think she was asking for sex; that was something neither of them were shy about, and they were pretty much past the point of having to ask.

"Can we sleep without our clothes? Just for tonight?" Franky asked quietly.

"Yeah," Bridget replied, giving her another light kiss.

Franky got out of bed and locked their bedroom door. Emily had been sleeping well lately, but she didn't want to take the chance. When she turned to come back to the bed, the blonde got up and met her. Bridget reached down and took the hem of Franky's shirt, pulling it off over her head. She then slid her hands in either side of the brunette's shorts and underwear, and slid them down over her legs. Franky quickly repeated the blonde's actions so they were both standing there in front of each other naked.

Bridget reached up and wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck. Franky smiled and walked them backwards to the bed, keeping her hands on the blonde's hips to make sure she didn't stumble over their discarded clothes. When they reached the edge of the bed, the brunette reached down, and with a hand on the back of each of Bridget's thighs, lifted her up and placed her on the bed. The blonde never let go of Franky's neck, so she followed her onto the bed, ending up on top of her. She gave her a quick kiss, and moved to lay on her side, pulling Bridget along with her. 

"I've never slept naked with someone just because before. I've, you know, passed out after sex without getting dressed, but never just slept." Franky moved closer, and Bridget intertwined their legs.

"I like that I get to be the first for some things with you." The blonde gave her a warm smile.

"You were a lot of firsts for me. First serious relationship, first time showering with someone, first time saying 'I love you'." Franky let her fingers move along Bridget's side.

"First time letting someone fuck you with a strap-on." The blonde smiled seeing the look of surprise on her girlfriend's face.

"Did I tell you that?" Franky asked, her face turning a bit red.

"You did. During one of our phone sex nights when you were in Wentworth." Bridget smiled. Obviously the brunette hadn't realized what she was saying at the time.

"I never trusted anyone else enough to let them." Franky saw the smile leave the blonde's face. "I spent so much of my life not having any kind of control over what happened to me, the abuse from my mom, all the shit that happened on the streets, that when I finally got it, there was no way I was letting anyone else have any of it back."

"You should have told me that night." Bridget rested her hand on the brunette's cheek.

"I didn't need to, Gidge. It didn't bother me to let you do it." She saw a bit of the smile return to the blonde's face.

Franky leaned in and connected their lips. She took her time, she'd always loved kissing Bridget much more than any of her previous partners. She felt the blonde shift closer to her. When she broke the kiss, Bridget moved forward, following her, wanting more. The brunette connected their lips again.

"You're really good at that." Bridget said when they finally had to break apart for air.

"At kissing?" Franky grinned, and the blonde gave a small nod. "You did that same thing that night at my apartment when I kissed you. You didn't want it to end."

"Ugh, that whole night, I just wanted to fuck you. Ever since that kiss in the classroom I knew I was in trouble, but that night was torture." Bridget saw a flicker in Franky's eyes. "You looked so good when you answered the door, and you had cooked an amazing meal. Then you surprised me with the boardgame thing. Very few people surprise me, so it was nice. And well, afterwards, if you hadn't stopped, I think we know what would have happened."

"You looked amazing in that dress." The brunette's eyes scanned over Bridget's face as her fingers ran the length of the older woman's back.

"I've always liked how you look at me," the blonde whispered.

"And how's that?" It wasn't something that Franky had ever thought about before.

"Like you want me. Like you love me."

"Because I do." The brunette gave her a kiss. "I think you're beautiful."

Bridget looked at her for a minute. "It doesn't bother you that I'm older than you?" Franky shook her head. "Because the other two women I've seen who you've been with have been a lot younger."

"I don't care about age, Gidge. Besides, you're not old, you're making yourself sound like some old grandmother." The brunette gave a small laugh then got serious again. "If you're worried about that, stop. I love you so much."

"I love you too, baby." Bridget leaned in and connected their lips again.

"Did you mean what you said earlier when we were talking to Em?"

"Which part?" Bridget had meant everything she'd said, but she wanted to make sure which thing specifically the brunette was talking about.

"That if we ever weren't together she could still see me." The comment had surprised Franky at the time.

"Of course. If for some reason things fell apart for us, she shouldn't suffer because of it. I would never keep her from someone who was a good, loving, caring influence on her. I don't really want to think about it though." Bridget looked down.

"Me either." The brunette pulled her closer and connected their lips. She let her hand slide from the older woman's shoulder, down her back, and over her butt, then all the way back up to let her fingers tangle in her hair.

"Mmm, you're making this really hard." Bridget giggled against the other woman's lips.

"Making what hard?" Franky asked, kissing her softly again.

"To just sleep naked." They both laughed.

The brunette shifted a bit, allowing Bridget to bury her head in the crook of her neck. Franky drew lazy circles with her fingers between the blonde's shoulders and felt her immediately start to relax. A couple of times she felt Bridget's hand, that was resting on her lower back, twitch, and she knew this meant that she was falling asleep. It wasn't long after that that Franky felt herself drift off.


	42. Chapter 42

It was now almost the end of November, and school had finished for the summer. Franky was having her week off between sessions, and Emily's day camps hadn't started yet, so she and the brunette got to spend their week off together. Bridget had to admit that she'd much rather be sharing the week with them than going to work, but unfortunately the correctional system didn't care how nice the weather was, or what your other family members were doing.

It was Monday morning, and Bridget's alarm rang bright and early. She quickly reached over and turned it off, not wanting it to wake Franky, who got to sleep in the next few mornings. She watched the brunette for a minute. She always looked so peaceful when she slept.

The blonde felt herself drifting off to sleep again. She sighed and forced herself to get out of the bed, and into the shower.

She was just getting her breakfast ready when she heard Emily's bedroom door open. She stepped around the corner to see the young girl walking away from her, down the hall still half asleep and rubbing her eyes. "Em, love, do you want some breakfast?"

Bridget heard her mumble something, but the only words she could pick out were "bed" and "Franky" as Emily made her way to their bedroom. She went back to her food and cup of coffee.

Before she left, she decided to check in on her niece and girlfriend. She quietly opened the door and saw Franky curled on her side, and Emily snuggled under the blankets on Bridget's half of the bed.

"So jealous of you both right now," she said, closing the door gently, and heading to gather her things for work.

********

Franky was vaguely aware of someone's hand on her shoulder, trying to wake her. When she opened her eyes, she was met with Emily’s face just an inch from hers.

“Fucking hell!” Seeing someone so close to her when she wasn’t expecting it had startled her. Emily giggled. “Not cool Em.” Franky reached over and tickled her, causing the young girl to squirm with laughter. “When did you come in here?”

“Just before Auntie Bridge left.” Emily snuggled down into the blankets again.

“Oh no no, you woke me up, you’re not going back to sleep.” Franky got out of bed, and pulled the blanket off her.

The girl giggled again. “I wanted breakfast,” she said, reaching out for the brunette.

Franky leaned down, and picked her up out of the bed. “How about brunch? We slept in really late.” It was almost ten-thirty, which was way past when Emily normally woke up. “Actually, I have an even better idea: what do you think about having it as a picnic at the Lakes Reserve?”

“Yeah!”

“Alright, go get dressed.” The brunette set her down on the floor, and the young girl took off to her bedroom.

Franky found a small tote bag, and packed a blanket, sunscreen, a frisbee, and a couple of Emily’s card games. She figured the girl would probably want to run around and play, but it was a hot day, and she wanted to have something that would make her sit for a minute, have something to drink, and take a break. The brunette made them sandwiches, and grabbed a container of mixed berries along with some water.

Franky had always loved this place. It was just across the road behind the house, but it felt like you were in the middle of nowhere once you walked a few feet. She and Emily walked to the pond where they had had their race the last time they were there. Franky remembered the stabbing pain in her side all too well. There were a few other people there, but they were able to get a spot all to themselves in the shade under a large tree. The brunette spread out the blanket and unpacked their food.

“Are you excited for Christmas?” Emily asked as she ate her sandwich.

“I’m excited to spend it with you and Auntie.” Franky had never really been big on the holiday. Her parents had never made much of it, and her mother even less so after her dad had left. If she happened to be with a foster family at the time, they didn’t usually include her in their celebrations. She did enjoy her Christmases with Liz. They never had many presents, but she liked having someone to spend the day with and have a special meal. This year though she was already thinking of how she could decorate the house, and special dishes that she and Emily could make for everyone.

“What about your family?” the young girl asked as she took another bite of her sandwich.

“My family is you, Auntie and Liz.” She saw the confused look on the girl’s face. She knew she’d meant her family besides them, but she was hoping to avoid the topic.

“I mean your mom and dad.”

“My dad left when I was around your age, then a few years later, I left my mom.” Franky looked out across the lake.

“Why did you leave your mom?”

“She wasn’t a good mom.” The brunette didn’t see any point in sugarcoating it since they’d come this far already. “She didn’t do the things that moms, or someone who loves you are supposed to do.”

“She didn’t love you.” It wasn’t a question from the young girl, but Franky shook her head anyway. “But I love you, and Auntie Bridge loves you.”

“I know, bub. I love you guys too. That’s why I’m spending Christmas with you.” The brunette also wanted to ask Bridget if Liz could join them.

Franky and Emily finished their food, put on some sunscreen, and ventured out of the shade to play with the frisbee they’d brought with them. In the midday heat, it wasn’t long before the brunette thought they should take a break.

“Come here and sit for a minute. Have some water.” Franky called Emily back over to their blanket in the shade.

After a quick card game and a drink, she asked the young girl if she wanted to play some more frisbee. Emily shook her head and dealt the cards for another game. They spent the rest of the afternoon just hanging out in the shade of the tree, playing games. By mid-afternoon, the young girl looked like she was getting tired, so Franky suggested that they go back to the house.

When they got there, Emily changed into her pyjamas, and laid down on the couch.

“You feeling okay?” Franky asked, sitting on the edge of the couch beside her.

“I’m tired and my head hurts,” she said quietly.

“Okay, I’ll be right back.” Franky thought that maybe she just wasn’t feeling well because of the heat, even though she made sure to give her lots to drink. She had finished her whole bottle of water and a juice box while they were at the park.

The brunette grabbed a cold washcloth and refilled Emily’s water bottle. She went back and sat on the couch beside her again.

“I want you to keep drinking while you’re awake, okay?” she asked, laying the washcloth across the girl’s forehead. Emily nodded.

“Will you stay with me?” the young girl asked when Franky went to get up.

“I need to tidy up a bit and do some laundry, but I promise I won’t leave the house, and you can just call out if you need me, alright?” The brunette handed her the TV remote. “I’ll come sit with you in a bit when I’m done.”

Franky kept glancing over each time she passed by the couch to see how Emily was doing. By the time the brunette had finished the few things she needed to do, and was gathering up her final load of laundry, the young girl was fast asleep. Franky kept her promise though, and when she was finished, stretched out on the other section of the L-shaped couch.

The movie that Emily had picked was almost done when the brunette heard Bridget’s car drive into the yard. She quietly got up off the couch, and went to meet her at the door.

“Hey, babe.” She gave the blonde a quick kiss.

“Hey,” Bridget smiled at her. “Why are you whispering?”

“Em’s on the couch asleep. She says she’s not feeling well.”

“Aw, okay, well hopefully she just needs a nap,” Bridget said, taking off her shoes.

“I took her to the park. We played frisbee for a bit, then we sat in the shade and played her card games. I made sure she had sunscreen and that she drank something.” Franky said following behind the blonde.

Bridget stopped, and turned to face the brunette. “Baby, relax. Do you think this is your fault?” Franky shrugged. “Why would you think that?” The younger woman shrugged again. “You were out for how long?”

“About three and a half hours by the time we got there. We ate lunch, then played frisbee for maybe thirty minutes or so. After that we sat on the blanket in the shade.” Franky glanced at the girl still sleeping on the couch. “She drank all her water while we were there, and a juice box, and she’s drunk almost half of her water again since we’ve gotten home. She said she had a headache and was tired, so I got her the cold cloth.”

Bridget put her hand on Franky’s cheek and gave her a small kiss. “If she ate, and drank that much, and still doesn’t feel well, then I don’t think it has anything to do with you taking her out. It’s probably just a virus.” The blonde walked over to the couch and gently touched the girl’s cheek with the backs of her fingers. “She might be a bit warm. We should check her temp when she wakes up.”

Franky and Bridget went about getting supper ready. When it was time to eat, the blonde went over to wake her niece.

“Love, it’s time for supper, and I want to check your temperature.” Bridget held up a digital thermometer, and Emily opened her mouth. They waited the few seconds for it to take a reading. “Thirty-eight. Yeah, you’ve got a fever. Do you want to eat?” The young girl shook her head. “Okay, I want you to drink some more of your water though.”

Franky was just getting ready to serve their meal when she saw Bridget signal to her to wait a moment, then head towards her office. She set the pan back on the stove and went to see what was going on. She found the blonde sitting at her desk, reading something on the screen of her laptop.

“Everything okay?” she asked standing behind Bridget and resting her hands on the older woman’s shoulders.

“Yeah, well, I’m not sure.” She gave a weak laugh. “She’s got a fever, and, uh well, I’ve never looked after a sick child before. I mean, if it was you or me, I know kind of the basics, but kids are different, yeah?”

“You’re asking the wrong person, babe, but I would assume they are, yeah.” Franky watched as the blonde scrolled through a page all about treating fevers in young children.

“I’ll need to pick up a couple things at the pharmacy,” she said, writing them down on a small piece of paper.

“I can go. You eat supper while it’s warm.” Franky reached for the piece of paper.

“I got it, baby, but thank you for offering. It won’t take long.” The blonde gave her a quick kiss.

********

Franky sat with Emily while she waited for Bridget to return from the pharmacy. It was only about twenty minutes before she was back, carrying a bag of items. The blonde tilted her head, indicating for Franky to follow her over to the kitchen.

“I talked to the pharmacist,” she said, unpacking the bag. “He said to try paracetamol first for the fever. He also recommended these drinks instead of just water all the time. They’ve got some electrolytes in them, and they’re made for young kids. I wrote down a list of foods he suggested that would be easy on her stomach in case that becomes an issue. We have to check her fever every few hours when she’s awake. If it lasts more than three days, goes above thirty-nine, or if the paracetamol doesn’t work, then we should take her to the doctor. If it goes above forty-one then she needs to go to the emergency department right away.” Bridget exhaled, looking over the items on the counter.

“Okay, so we’ll try the meds first, then see if we can get her to drink some of this?” Franky asked, holding up one of the bottles. Bridget nodded as she read how to calculate the amount of medicine to give the young girl. The brunette put her arm around the older woman and gave her a kiss on the temple.

Bridget measured out the medication, and sat down on the couch with Emily. “Here, love, I need you to take this. It’ll help you feel better. You have to sit up while you take it.” The blonde put her hand behind the young girl’s back and helped her into a more upright position.

“What is it?” Emily looked at the pink liquid.

“It’s paracetamol, a medication,” Bridget explained. “Please, love. I promise it’ll help.” Emily took another look at the medication then drank it. “Okay, good.” The blonde moved her hand to let the girl lay down on the couch again. “We’re going to have supper. Do you want anything to eat?” Emily shook her head. “Does your stomach hurt, or you’re just not hungry?”

“I’m not hungry,” Emily said, pulling the blanket higher.

“Okay.” Bridget gave her a kiss on the side of her head.

While Franky and Bridget ate, the brunette kept looking over at the couch. Bridget knew that she was checking on Emily, even though she couldn’t really see her over the back of the couch.

The blonde reached over and covered the younger woman’s hand with her own. “I’m going to call Vera and let her know I won’t be in tomorrow.”

“It’s okay, Gidge. I’m off anyway.”

“Franky, I can’t ask you to look after her all day alone when she’s sick.” Bridget knew that Franky was perfectly capable of looking after Emily, but she didn’t want to leave her.

“I’ll be fine.” Franky smiled at her. “Look, if you want to stay home just because you want to or you think you should, then that’s your call, but I don’t mind doing it, at all. You’ve got everything the pharmacist told you written out, and I’ll text you to let you know how she’s doing, and you can call and talk to her whenever you have a chance.”

Bridget thought for a moment. “Okay. I mean, I do want to stay and be with her, but I also know that you guys will be okay. Just keep me updated.”

“Promise.” The brunette squeezed her hand.

After supper, Bridget got Emily to drink one of the electrolyte drinks she had bought. When she checked her temperature again, it was down slightly. She had hoped the medicine would bring it down a bit more than it had. Franky offered the girl something to eat again, and again she refused, saying she wasn’t hungry. They decided to let her lay on the couch with them until they went to bed since she just wanted to be near them and she could sleep in in the morning.

When they were ready to go to bed, Bridget carried her into her room. She knew that if the young girl needed anything during the night that she would come into their room and wake them.

The blonde slid easily into Franky’s arms as soon as she laid down in their bed. She felt the younger woman pull her closer, and place a kiss on the back of her shoulder.

“Did she stay asleep?” Franky asked, taking Bridget’s hand in hers.

“Yeah, she did.” The blonde moved back to press herself closer to the younger woman.

Franky laid there thinking about the conversation she and Emily had in the park earlier that day. She was more excited for this Christmas than she could ever remember. She already had ideas for some gifts that she wanted to get for her. She was less sure what she was going to get for Bridget though, but she knew something she wanted to do. Christmas was a time for family, and for once, she was going to have her own little family all celebrating together. She had decided that she was going to ask Bridget to marry her. She knew the traditional proposal of going out on a date somewhere fancy first, but she couldn’t think of anything better than to have Emily and Liz there when she popped the question. She wanted to let Emily help her pick the ring out. She knew from the surprise birthday party that the young girl could keep a secret if she had to, so she trusted her this time too. This was something that was going to affect her as well, so Franky wanted her to feel like she was a part of it.

********

Bridget woke in the night to Emily pulling on her hand. She slowly opened her eyes. “What’s wrong, love?”

“I don’t feel good,” Emily said quietly.

“I know, baby. Is it still your head that hurts?” The blonde brushed a strand of hair out of the young girl’s face and noticed that she still felt warm.

“And my stomach.”

“Your stomach?” Bridget asked. “Do you feel like you’re going to be sick?” Emily nodded.

The blonde was up and out of bed, and leading the young girl to the bathroom. She gathered Emily’s hair, and held it for her while she vomited into the toilet.

Franky woke up to an empty bed. When she looked around, she saw that the bedroom door was open, and the light was on in the hallway. She could faintly hear Bridget talking, she assumed, to Emily. She got out of bed, and when she made it to the hallway, she saw that the bathroom light was on as well.

Bridget saw Franky lean against the doorframe out of the corner of her eye.

“Upset stomach now, too?” the brunette asked, giving a look that said she felt bad for the young girl.

“Yeah, she came and woke me up.” Bridget rubbed Emily’s back. “All done, love?” The young girl nodded. “Okay, go wash your face and hands then we’ll go back to bed.”

Bridget waited, and washed her hands when Emily was done at the sink. “I think I’ll bring her into our bed for the night.”

“Gidge, I can go sleep in her bed with her. That way you can get some rest since you’re the one who has to go to work tomorrow.” Franky stood in front of the blonde, who looked half asleep, and rubbed her arms. “Okay?”

“I should…” Bridget trailed off.

“Shh, babe.” The brunette gave her a quick kiss. “I don’t mind. I offered, okay?”

Bridget gave a nod, and Franky sent her back to their room. She grabbed the bucket from the utility closet, and went back down the hall to Emily’s room.

“Is it okay if I sleep here with you for the rest of the night? I’ll keep you company since you’re not feeling well?” Franky asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Okay.” Emily was already drifting back to sleep.

Franky climbed over the young girl, putting herself on the inside next to the wall so that Emily would be able to get out of the bed quickly if she needed to get to the bathroom again. “There’s a bucket on the floor beside you in case you feel sick again and you don’t think you’ll make it to the bathroom.”

“Okay.” Emily turned over to face the brunette. “Rub my back?”

“Sure, bub.” The young girl moved in closer, and snuggled against her. She ran her hand lightly up and down Emily’s back and it wasn’t long before she was back to sleep. Franky smiled, seeing that the teddy bear she had won that day at the park, was held tightly in Emily’s arms. After a few minutes, she felt herself drifting off again as well.

Emily slept through the rest of the night. Franky, however, found herself waking up whenever the young girl moved. That didn’t happen with Bridget, or when Emily slept in their bed with them, so the brunette figured it was her subconscious waking her to make sure the child was okay.

The next thing she knew, she woke to hear Bridget in the kitchen making herself breakfast. Franky wanted to see her before she left for work, so she carefully moved her arm from under Emily, and waited a few seconds to make sure she was still asleep before leaving the young girl’s bed.

“Hey, Gidge.” Franky gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“Morning, baby. I thought you were going to sleep in today,” Bridget said as she took a sip of her coffee.

“I heard you out here, and I wanted to see you before you went to work.” Franky sat on one of the stools by the kitchen island.

The blonde smiled at her. “How did she sleep?”

“Good, I don’t think she woke up again. She still feels warm though.”

“Okay, well at least she slept and wasn’t sick again. Are you sure you don’t want me to stay home too?” Bridget felt bad leaving the brunette with a sick kid on what was supposed to be her week off.

“I’m sure, babe.” Franky took the mug of coffee Bridget had poured for her.

“I left her medicine on the counter, and put more of the drink stuff in the fridge to get cold. The list of foods she can have and the things the pharmacist told me are on the counter as well. He said eating wasn’t too important, but she really needs to drink. Especially if she gets sick any more.” The blonde looked around the kitchen like she thought she was forgetting something.

Franky stood and walked around the island. She wrapped her arms around Bridget. “I’ll keep you updated all day. Promise.”

“I just feel bad leaving her. And for making you look after her.”

“Babe.” Franky pulled back so she could look at the blonde. “This is what it’s all about, yeah? The whole family thing?” Bridget nodded. “So stop saying that you feel bad about leaving or ‘making’ me look after her. You’re not ‘making’ me do anything. Maybe next time I’ll be working and you’ll be the one with time off.”

“You’re right. Okay. I should get going.” She gave the brunette a quick kiss.

********

Emily woke up not long after Bridget had left for work. Franky was sitting on the couch finishing her coffee, when the young girl made her way out to the living room.

“Hey sleepyhead, how are you feeling?” Franky put her arm out so that Emily would come sit beside her.

“Not good,” the young girl said, crawling up on the couch beside the brunette.

Franky placed her hand on Emily’s forehead. “You still feel warm. Here, let’s check your temp.” She held up the thermometer, and the young girl let her put it under her tongue. A few seconds later, it beeped. “Thirty-nine. No wonder you don’t feel well. You need to take some more medicine, okay?” The brunette knew that Bridget had said thirty-nine was the cutoff before she had to see the doctor, so she was hoping it didn’t go any higher.

Emily shook her head. 

“We have to get that fever down, bub.” Franky got the bucket from the bedroom just in case. She read the note where Bridget had written how much medication to give her when she figured it out last night. The brunette poured it into the small cup, and sat back down on the couch.

“My stomach hurts,” Emily said when Franky passed her the small cup.

“I know. Just try to take it for me?” Emily looked at her again, and the brunette wanted to tell her she didn’t have to do it, but she knew the young girl needed to take it. “Come on.” Franky rubbed her shoulder.

Emily drank the pink liquid, but the brunette could tell she was already fighting to get it down.

“Okay?” Franky asked her, and the young girl slowly nodded.

The brunette grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch, and put it over Emily. The girl leaned against her, watching the morning kids cartoons that Franky had put on the TV. Franky figured she’d give the medication a little while to work, then try to get her to drink something.

When they had watched one more episode, the brunette paused the show. She wanted Emily to drink some of the stuff that Bridget had gotten the night before. She measured out about half a serving. She figured better to start small than to give her too much and make her sick again.

She sat back down on the couch and gave Emily the glass. “It’s the same stuff Auntie gave you last night. Since you have a fever, and you’re not eating, you need to drink some.”

She sipped on the drink, and Franky saw that she had finished about half of what she’d given her. It was a start. The brunette waited a few minutes, then encouraged her to finish the rest of it, which she did.

It wasn’t long after that that Emily was sick again. Franky held the bucket for her. She felt bad that she had made her drink when she wasn’t feeling well to start with. When Emily was done, she checked her temp again, and it was still thirty-nine.

She texted Bridget with an update:

_To: Gidge  
Gave her meds when she woke up, then waited about a half hour and gave her some  
of the drink. She was sick again after that and her temp is up to 39 this morning._

The reply was almost immediate:

_To: Franky  
Poor thing :( If she can’t at least keep her meds down, she may need to see the doctor. Let me know how it goes after the next dose. xo_

Franky sat with her for the rest of the morning. She had gotten sick after the brunette tried to get her to drink some more, so when it came time for her medicine again, Franky wasn’t feeling too hopeful that it would go well. Emily drank the medication, but this time it only stayed down for about fifteen minutes. When the brunette checked the young girl’s temp, it was up to thirty nine point five.

“Shit.” Franky picked up her phone, but this time she called the blonde instead of texting.

“Hey, baby, what’s going on?” Bridget knew that the brunette wouldn’t have called just to give her an update.

“Her temp is up to thirty-nine point five, and she’s not keeping anything down. No meds, no drinks, nothing. I think she needs to go to the doctor.” Franky tried to sound calm for Emily, but inside she was freaking out a bit.

“Fuck. Okay, yes for sure take her to the doctor. There’s a file in my office with all of her medical stuff in it, and the address of the clinic where she’s registered. Same doctor as me. I’ll call ahead to let them know she’s coming in.” Bridget wanted to do nothing other than run to meet them at the clinic, but she told herself again, as she had that morning, that Franky was more than capable of handling things. She knew she was being illogical, but chalked it up to her parenting instinct making her want to be with the sick girl. “And baby, please let me know anything as soon as you do.”

“I will, Gidge. I gotta go, I’m going to get her ready so we can leave.”

Franky helped Emily wash her face and change into a clean pair of pyjamas. The brunette then grabbed a shopping bag and threw in another pair of pyjamas for the young girl, just in case, a blanket, and some water for them both. Finally, she grabbed the file from Bridget’s office.

“Okay, bub, let’s go to the doctor and see what’s going on.” Franky carried her out to the car.

She was quiet for most of the ride there, and the brunette was happy to see that there weren’t too many people in the waiting room when they got there. She got Emily to sit in one of the chairs while she approached the registration window.

“Good afternoon, how can I help you?” The receptionist looked up from her computer.

“I’ve brought Emily Westfall in to see the doctor.” Franky waited while the woman typed something into the computer.

“Ah, yes, and you are?” The receptionist looked up at her.

“Franky Doyle.” The brunette looked at her, wondering why it mattered who she was.

“I don’t have you on file.”

“No, I’m not a patient here. I’ve just brought Em in. She’s really sick.” Franky put the file up on the counter. “I have all her paperwork here, and Bridget should have called to let you know she was coming.”

“Yes, Ms. Westfall called us, but we assumed that she would be the one coming in with the child. We don’t have you on file as someone who can authorize treatment.”

“She’s at work, I stayed home with Em today.” Franky looked behind her to check on the young girl.

“I understand that, but if you’re not a parent or legal guardian, there’s not a lot we can do. Are you a parent or legal guardian?” The receptionist looked up at Franky and the brunette had a moment where she pictured her fist landing square on the woman’s face.

Franky took a deep breath, and leaned forward so she could speak more quietly. “Both of her parents have died. Bridget is her legal guardian and my girlfriend. We’re caring for Em now.”

“But legally, you are….?” 

Franky hated how calm the woman looked.

“Nothing,” the brunette said quietly.

“Then I’m afraid Ms. Westfall will have to come down here herself before the doctor is able to see the patient.” The receptionist turned back to her computer, and Franky knew she wasn’t going to get any further with her.

The brunette stepped away from the window, and took her phone out of her pocket. She dialled Bridget’s number.

“Hey, everything alright?” Franky could hear the concern in the blonde’s voice.

“Actually, no. They won’t let her see the doctor because I’m not her legal guardian.” The brunette kept her voice low even though inside she was upset.

“What do you mean? I told them she was coming in.” Bridget began to gather her things.

“They said that I’m not in her file as someone who can authorize care since I’m not related or legally anything to her, so you have to be here.” Franky took a deep breath, and tried not to pace too much.

“Fuck. Okay baby, I’m on my way, just do your best to keep her as comfortable as you can until I get there.” Bridget threw the last few things into her bag. She texted Vera on her way out, not even bothering to stop by her office to let the governor know that she was leaving.

Franky went back to where Emily was sitting, and sat down beside her. “We have to wait a little bit before the doctor can see you, okay?”

“I’m cold.” Emily looked so pale that Franky was even more concerned now.

“Okay, bub, here, I brought a blanket. Stand up.” She unfolded the blanket from the bag and wrapped it around the young girl. “You want to sit on my lap?” Emily nodded, so Franky sat back in the chair and helped the young girl onto her lap. She leaned back, letting her head rest against the wall behind her so that Emily could lie against her.

“Why do we have to wait? I don’t feel well.” Emily’s voice was quiet.

“I know you don’t, bub. We have to wait for Auntie, she’s leaving work now. Why don’t you close your eyes and try to rest? I’ll be right here.” Emily turned her head into Franky’s shoulder, and the brunette held her close.

After a few minutes, Emily spoke. “Franky, I don’t feel good again.”

“Your stomach?” The brunette felt the young girl nod. “Okay, let’s go to the washroom.”

She took her into the washroom in the waiting area, and Emily was sick again. When they exited, she told Emily to sit back in the chair, she needed to talk to the receptionist again. She had just gotten a text from Bridget saying she was stuck in traffic, and would probably be at least another half hour.

“Hi,” Franky gave her best smile, trying not to look too fake about it. The woman behind the desk looked up at her. “I just got a text from Bridget. She’s stuck in traffic and could be awhile. Em was just sick again, and she’s miserable. Is there no way that the doctor can at least assess her while we wait? Any treatments can wait until Bridget gets here if they have to. Her fever was quite high when we left the house, and she hasn’t been able to eat or drink for almost twenty-four hours now.”

“Just have a seat. There’s nothing we can do yet.”

Franky sighed out of frustration then turned and went back to her seat. She took Emily on her lap again, and the young girl snuggled in like she had before. After a couple of minutes, the brunette felt someone sit down in the chair beside her.

“Hey.”

Franky turned her head to see the source of the quiet voice. Sitting beside her was a woman probably about her age with brown hair and brown eyes. At first she thought the woman was talking to her, but then the brunette realized she was looking at Emily, so she turned her head back and rested it against the wall again.

“I’m not feeling well,” Emily told the woman.

“It’s a good thing you had someone to bring you to the doctor then, huh?” The woman glanced up at Franky, then back at the girl.

“She’s my Franky,” Emily said.

It made the brunette smile when Emily called her ‘my Franky’. At career day, she had worried that it meant that Emily was confused about the brunette’s role or place in her life, but now she looked at it as a term of affection.

“Your Franky?” The woman gave her a small smile.

“Yeah, she’s my Auntie Bridge’s girlfriend but she’s my Franky. She teaches me how to cook, and she’s good at reading stories, and she won this for me at the park.” Emily showed the woman her teddy bear.

“Sounds pretty special.”

The young girl nodded. “I love her.”

It came time for the woman’s turn to see the doctor. When she stood to leave, she put her hand on Franky’s arm. “I heard what she said earlier.” She tilted her head towards the receptionist. “Don’t let anyone tell you you’re not a parent.”

Franky gave a small nod. “Thanks.”

A few minutes later Bridget arrived. The blonde looked around the waiting room, and spotted Franky and Emily.

“Hey, baby.” She gave Franky a quick kiss. “Hey, love.” She gave Emily a kiss on the head. “Let me go see if I can sort this out.” She picked up Emily’s file and headed to the window.

“Good afternoon, can I help you?” The receptionist looked up from her computer.

“Yes, I’m Bridget Westfall. My niece Emily is here to see the doctor.” She waited while the woman typed something into the computer. “Can I ask you something?” The receptionist glanced up from the computer. “I’m just curious as to why you let a very sick child sit here for longer than necessary.”

“As I explained to your girlfriend, we need the consent of the legal guardian before any treatment.”

“Me calling and telling you that she was coming wasn’t enough?”

The woman opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by the doctor. “Hi, Bridget, you can bring Emily in now.” Franky stood with Emily, and carried her into the doctor’s office. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware she’d been waiting for so long.”

The doctor was a very soft-spoken woman, about the same age as Bridget. They explained Emily’s symptoms to her, when they had started, and what they had tried for medications. In the end, the doctor decided it was most likely something viral, but was concerned by the fact that the girl wasn’t able to keep down her medication or electrolyte drink. She gave her an injection of medication that would essentially do the same thing as the paracetamol, but would last longer and had the benefit of her not having to try to keep it in her stomach. The doctor also gave her an injection of an anti-nausea drug so that she was able to have some fluids while the other medication was working on bringing her fever down.

“These things usually run their course in three to five days. Since this looks to be day two, you should see significant improvement within the next twenty four hours or so. If not, by all means, please bring her back. Either of you.” She looked at each of the women.

They both thanked her as they left the office. As they walked through the waiting area, they could hear the doctor talking to her receptionist. “I know the rules, but next time use some goddamn common sense…”.

********

Emily was able to have something to drink, and some toast later that evening, and her fever had gone down a bit. She was still very tired though, and they let her sleep on the couch with them again that evening.

“You did good today, baby.” Bridget, who was snuggled into Franky’s side, stretched up to give the brunette a kiss.

“I felt pretty helpless in that office.”

“I know, baby. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize they wouldn’t let you bring her in.” Bridget felt bad that she had put Franky in that position.

“It’s not your fault. It’s just how the system works. It’s total bullshit.” The brunette glanced over to make sure that Emily was still asleep and hadn’t heard her swear.

“Agreed.” Bridget sighed, and they went back to watching their show.

When the episode finished, Franky picked up Emily and started down the hall with her.

“Can I sleep with you guys tonight?” the young girl asked quietly.

Franky turned to look back at Bridget, who nodded. “Yeah sure, bub.” The brunette carried her into their room, and laid her on the bed.

Emily was fast asleep in no time once she was cuddled in between the two women.

“Gidge?”

“Yeah, baby?” Franky could tell that the blonde was almost asleep too from the sound of her voice.

“Can we invite Liz over for Christmas morning?” The brunette had been busy making plans in her head, and what had happened today with Emily made her think about them even more.

“Yeah, of course. That’ll be lovely.”

Franky smiled as she drifted off to sleep.


	43. Chapter 43

It had been a couple of days since they'd taken Emily to see the doctor. She had improved significantly over that time, and by Thursday was pretty much back to her old self. Both Bridget and Franky were thankful that whatever bug she had caught seemed to have spared them.

Franky decided on Wednesday night that if Emily felt okay when she woke up the next morning, she was going to take the young girl on an ice cream date to ask if she was okay with her asking her aunt to marry her. Franky knew that traditionally that wasn't who she should be asking, but Bridget's parents weren't around, and Emily was who mattered most in their lives.

Since everything seemed fine Thursday morning, the brunette decided that she would take Emily out that afternoon. She felt bad not including Bridget in their outing, but she'd make it up to her later. She had thought about just asking the young girl how she felt about it sometime when they were hanging out alone at the house, but she wanted to make it a special memory for Emily.

Bridget had just left for work, and Franky was cleaning up the dishes from breakfast. 

"Hey, Em, how about we go out for some ice cream after lunch?" Franky closed the dishwasher.

"Yeah!" The young girl's eyes lit up. "Is Auntie Bridge coming too?"

"No, bub, your auntie is at work all day. Today it's just you and me going." Franky thought the girl looked a little sad. "What's wrong?"

"Can we bring her back a treat?"

"Sure, maybe not ice cream though because it'll melt, but we'll find something for her, okay?" Franky smiled when Emily seemed happy again.

********

They had a light lunch, and made the short drive to the Williamstown Ice Cream Shoppe. It was one of Franky's favorite places, and she was excited to share it with Emily. She usually tried a different flavor each time she went there, and there were always new ones to choose from.

When they got there, Franky chose 'Cookie Dough' and Emily chose one called 'Confetti'. The brunette wasn't sure exactly what that flavor was supposed to taste like, but she had no doubt that the young girl would enjoy it. She hadn't found one here yet that she wouldn't try again.

"Can we take some of this home for Auntie Bridge?" Emily asked. She had tried hers while Franky was at the cash register paying.

"No, bub, it'll be too messy and melt in the cone." She handed some money to the young guy working behind the counter.

"Actually, we sell one and two litre containers of any of our flavors," he said, handing her back her change.

"Oh, well okay." She looked down at Emily. "We can get that just before we're ready to leave, alright?" The young girl nodded, and Franky told her to choose a table to sit at. Since it was a nice day, she picked one outside, under a big umbrella for shade.

The brunette ate a bit of her ice cream before she spoke. "Em, I brought you here today because there's something really important I want to talk to you about." The young girl looked up at her. "It's nothing bad, in fact, I hope you'll think it's really good. Remember when it was Auntie's birthday, and I said we had to keep it a secret?"

"Yeah, so we could surprise her." Emily had a big smile on her face.

"So this is kind of the same thing, but this time it's going to be a Christmas surprise." Franky could actually feel herself getting a bit nervous. She felt kind of silly because she knew Emily would be happy about it, and she was fairly certain that Bridget would say yes, but she couldn't help the feeling in her stomach right now.

"Are we going to buy her Christmas presents?" The young girl was getting excited now.

"Kind of, yes. I mean, we're going to buy her presents, but that's not what I wanted to talk about today." The brunette took a deep breath and looked around at the people passing by then turned her attention back to Emily. "What I want to talk to you about is me and your auntie. I want to ask her to marry me, and I want to know if that's something you'd be okay with."

Emily got out of her chair and gave Franky a hug.

"So does that mean it's okay?" The brunette laughed. Emily was hanging on to her so tight that it almost hurt.

"Yes!" Came the muffled reply from where the young girl had her face pressed against Franky's side.

The brunette rubbed Emily's back. "Okay, bub, let's finish our ice cream while we talk, before it melts." The young girl went back to her chair. "Do you know what happens when someone asks someone to marry them?"

"They ask 'will you marry me?', and then the other person says 'yes', and they kiss." Emily said matter of factly as she took another bite of her ice cream.

"The person who asks hopes they say 'yes'," Franky laughed nervously.

"Auntie Bridge will say 'yes'." The young girl said it with such confidence that the brunette almost thought she might know something that Franky didn't.

"I hope so." The brunette was quiet for a minute. "There's something else that happens when someone proposes. They give the other person a....?" Franky waited for Emily to fill in the blank. When she didn't, the brunette helped out. "A ring. It's something that's very special to both people, and I want you to help me pick out the one I give to Auntie."

"I can help you choose one?"

"Yeah, we'll pick one out together." Franky had been saving her money for awhile now. She hoped she had enough to get Bridget the ring that she deserved.

"Can we pick it out today?" Emily looked at the brunette expectantly.

Franky had a momentary wave of nausea at the young girl's question. "Not today, bub. We need to be back before Auntie Bridge gets home and if we go look for one today, we might not get back in time."

"When are you going to ask her?"

"On Christmas morning, after we open presents." The brunette had played out the scene many times in her head. She pictured them all sitting in the living room, opening presents, and then her sending Emily to bring in the one for Bridget that she had forgotten to put with the rest. It wouldn't be another present, but her ring, of course.

The young girl gave Franky a smile. "Don't forget, you can't say anything about this to her, okay? I want it to be a surprise. I know you can keep a secret like you did for her birthday, so this is the same thing, only more important that you don't tell her."

"I promise." Emily thought for a moment. "Does this mean you'll be my auntie too?"

The question caught Franky off guard. She always thought she'd just be 'her Franky', but the young girl had a legitimate point. If a man was going to marry Bridget, Emily would call him her uncle even though they would only be related through marriage, so she thought that technically that would make her the young girl's aunt. She didn't like answering questions like these without talking to Bridget first.

"Maybe that's something that we can all talk about after I give her the ring?" The brunette figured there would be lots of questions like this that they'd need to talk about. Would Bridget want to change her last name, or would she want Franky to change hers, or would neither decide to give theirs up? She also wasn't sure if this would change anything legally with her and Emily or not. In the end, the answers to those questions really didn't matter, because she and Bridget would be married, they'd be raising Emily, and they'd be a family.

Emily nodded, seemingly content to leave the topic for a later time and finish her ice cream.

Before they left, they went back into the shop and bought a container of the Confetti ice cream that Emily wanted to take home for Bridget. It was only a short drive back to the house so Franky figured it would make it there without melting very much.

"When can we go buy a ring?" Emily asked from the backseat of the car.

"I don't know, bub." The brunette glanced at her in the rearview mirror.

They only had one more day off together with Bridget working. Franky knew she could use the excuse of going shopping for the blonde's Christmas presents to get out of the house with just Emily, but she wanted the proposal to catch her completely off guard. The brunette realized that meant that she and Emily would have to go tomorrow if she wanted to keep it completely under the radar. The nauseous feeling returned to her stomach for a few seconds.

"How about tomorrow?" Franky asked, glancing in the mirror again. A huge smile lit up the young girl's face. "Remember though, don't say anything about going shopping tomorrow, or anything about the ring once we buy it, or anything about weddings or getting married, okay? And if she asks about today, we only went out for ice cream, we didn't talk about getting married."

"I know, it's a secret." Emily said it in such a way that Franky felt that the young girl thought she was making too big of a deal out of the secrecy, and that of course she knew not to say anything around Bridget. The brunette smiled to herself.

When they got home Emily went to play in her room and Franky put the ice cream in the freezer before she sat down on the couch with her laptop. She wanted to have at least some idea of what she was looking for when they went shopping tomorrow. She knew she might not find exactly what she was looking for right away, and she was prepared to wait if she didn't find something she absolutely loved.

Bridget didn't wear a lot of jewelry, so Franky wasn't sure what her tastes were in that area. She figured the fact that she didn't wear much of it meant that she would probably appreciate a classic, more simple design. The brunette opened up her web browser and searched for local stores, hoping she could browse their inventory before she and Emily headed out tomorrow.

After only a few minutes, she was overwhelmed by the choices. Gold, white gold, rose gold, solitaire diamonds, multiple smaller stones, all the different cuts. The options seemed endless. She deleted her browsing history and closed the laptop. Franky knew she'd know when she found the right one.

It wasn't long before Bridget was home from work.

"Hey, baby." The blonde sat her bags down on the end of the couch.

Franky stood up and took the blonde in her arms. "How was your day?" she asked, giving her a small kiss.

"It was long, but alright." Bridget sighed as the brunette moved her hands up and down the older woman's back.

"Auntie Bridge!" Emily came out of her room, and ran into the living room. "We bought you a treat!" She looked to Franky. "Can I give it to her now?"

"Sure, bub, it's in the freezer." The brunette nodded towards the fridge.

"What's this?" Bridget smiled as she took the container from the young girl. "Confetti ice cream," she said reading the label.

"Yeah! It's the kind I had today and I really liked it and I wanted to bring you a treat too."

"Aw, that's sweet of you, thank you. You guys went out for ice cream?" She walked around the kitchen island to get a spoon.

"Yeah, I had a craving." Franky looked over to the young girl, and they exchanged smiles.

"Mmm, this is really good." She took a couple more spoonfuls then put the lid back on. "I'm going to put this away so I don't ruin my dinner, but I'll definitely be having more later. Thank you, love." The blonde bent down and gave Emily a kiss on the cheek.

"You want to help me make supper?" the brunette asked the young girl.

She nodded, and the two set to work preparing dinner.

********

Franky made her way back to the kitchen after saying goodnight to Emily. Bridget had read her a story that night, but she always wanted to say goodnight to both of them before she went to sleep.

When she came around the corner, she saw the blonde sitting on the kitchen island, eating from the container of ice cream.

"Breaking the rules again, I see," Franky said, as she walked around to stand in front of Bridget. She placed her hands on the counter on either side of the older woman's thighs and smiled.

"It's a problem I seem to have, isn't it?" the blonde said, taking another spoonful of ice cream.

"Mhm." Franky pulled Bridget closer so that there were only inches between them. She felt the blonde squeeze her sides with her legs as she giggled.

Bridget held out a spoonful of the sweet treat. "If I share, am I forgiven?"

"Maybe." Franky smiled and let Bridget feed her. Emily had been right, that flavor was really good. The brunette watched as her girlfriend ate another spoonful, then offered her one again.

Franky ran her hands along Bridget's legs and up around her back. She sighed as the brunette lowered her head and placed a soft kiss on the side of her neck.

"Ah! Franky, your lips are cold!" The blonde let out a small laugh.

Franky smiled against the older woman's skin. "I guess I'll have to warm them up then," she mumbled, continuing to place small kisses on Bridget's neck and along her jaw.

The blonde set her spoon and ice cream to the side. She tangled one hand in the brunette's hair, and wrapped the other arm around the younger woman, pulling her closer. Franky's hand found its way under the fabric of Bridget's shirt as the younger woman connected their lips.

The brunette's hand travelled slowly across her girlfriend's back from one side to the other and back again. The blonde felt Franky's hand brush across her side and move up to cup her breast, as the younger woman moved her lips back to Bridget's neck. She felt a shiver run through her as Franky nipped gently at her at the same time as the brunette ran her thumb over the lacy material covering her nipple.

Franky reached around with one hand and quickly unfastened Bridget's bra, allowing her more access. The younger woman brought her hand back to her girlfriend's chest, as the blonde pushed her body closer.

Franky could feel Bridget moving against her, and the thought of fucking the blonde right there on the counter had briefly crossed her mind when she heard Bridget speak.

"Take me to bed, baby," she said softly next to the brunette's ear.

Bridget held on as Franky picked her up and took her into the bedroom.

The brunette laid her on the bed, and the older woman pulled her down on top of her. Franky could still feel the blonde trying to push her body closer as she placed her lips on Bridget’s collarbone. She could tell that her girlfriend was very turned on, but the younger woman was in no hurry tonight.

The brunette felt Bridget’s hands on her back, searching for the hem of her shirt. When she found it, Franky felt the blonde’s fingers gliding over her skin. The younger woman moved her lips to the sensitive spot just below Bridget’s ear. She lingered there, but was careful not to leave any marks.

The blonde slid her hands down Franky’s back, and easily into her loose-fitting trackies. “Not wearing any underwear?” Bridget let out a small laugh, and felt the brunette nip at her neck in response.

The younger woman felt Bridget’s hands roaming over what felt like every inch of her, as the blonde raised her hips, trying to gain some contact. Franky knew what her girlfriend was trying to do.

“Patience.” The brunette let her lips brush against Bridget’s ear as she spoke.

“Baby, please.” The blonde moved her hands over Franky’s butt and around to her hips, causing a shiver to run through the other woman.

The brunette felt like every nerve in her body was on fire and hyper-sensitive. She pulled back, bringing Bridget with her, so the blonde was now sitting up with Franky half on her lap. The younger woman reached down and rid Bridget of her shirt and bra, and the blonde quickly repeated the action on the other woman.

Bridget lowered her head to Franky’s breast and took her nipple into her mouth. She felt it harden against her tongue as the brunette’s breathing picked up. Franky let herself enjoy the sensations for a moment before she gently pushed Bridget back down on the bed.

The brunette gave the older woman a kiss before she began a path down her body. She spent time on each of the blonde’s nipples, taking in all the little noises that Bridget made and the effects that her actions were having.

When she reached the waist of Bridget’s pants, she wasted no time sliding them, along with the blonde’s underwear, down her legs and off over her feet. Franky looked up to see Bridget watching her. The brunette held her gaze as she lightly nipped at the skin on the older woman’s hip. Bridget let out a small moan, and Franky knew what she wanted.

The younger woman lowered her head and kissed the blonde’s inner thigh as she placed Bridget’s left leg over her shoulder. Franky ran her tongue along the blonde’s folds and heard the other woman let out a long slow breath. The brunette placed her lips around Bridget’s clit and alternated between licking, sucking and flicking the bundle of nerves with her tongue.

She looked up, and saw that Bridget was once again focused on watching her actions. Franky let her left hand wander up over the blonde’s stomach, caressing her skin, finally coming to rest on her breast.

It didn’t take long for Bridget’s moans to become louder, and Franky slowed her pace, wanting to hold the other woman on the edge as long as possible. The fingers of the brunette’s right hand glided back and forth over Bridget’s thigh, and Franky could feel the goosebumps on the blonde’s skin. After a couple more minutes, Bridget’s breathing picked up and with a final flick of the brunette’s tongue, the blonde’s body shook with her orgasm.

Franky waited until Bridget’s body was calm before giving her clit one last, gentle lick, and making her way back up the blonde’s body. The brunette was beyond turned on, and she wanted her release, but more than that, she wanted to pleasure her girlfriend again. The more she thought about making Bridget come again, the more she felt the familiar warmth grow in her own stomach.

The blonde pulled Franky in for a deep kiss, and the brunette brought two fingers to Bridget’s opening. The older woman pushed her hips forward, letting the other woman sink deep inside her. Franky set a slightly faster pace this time, as she curled her fingers deep inside of the blonde.

“Fuck.” Bridget tangled one hand in the brunette’s hair and pulled her close against her neck where Franky immediately went to work. “Oh god.”

Once in a while, when Bridget moved her hips, it put friction right where the brunette needed it. While she was fully focused on the blonde, she wasn’t going to ignore her own body like she did the last time. She was hyper-aware of the sounds Bridget was making, and how her body moved and felt against Franky’s own.

The brunette was hitting all the right spots inside the older woman. Bridget could tell from Franky’s breathing, and the tension in the back muscles under the blonde’s hand, that they were both close to their releases.

“Yes, baby, right there,” the blonde moaned, as she dug her fingers into Franky’s back. “I’m so close.”

The brunette felt Bridget’s muscles flutter around her fingers, and that was all it took for her own release to wash over her. She buried her face in the blonde’s neck, and did her best to keep up the pace.

Bridget felt Franky come, and her second orgasm hit her hard. Her muscles contracted so hard it felt like she couldn’t breathe for a few seconds, and when they finally relaxed, she drew in a deep breath. Franky worked her through it, continuing to hit that spot deep inside her until her whole body felt like jelly.

The brunette picked up her head and placed a light kiss on Bridget’s lips.

“So I guess you’re really into me, huh?” Bridget said, smiling as she pushed a strand of hair away from the brunette’s face.

Franky smiled back. “I love you, Gidge.”

“I love you too, baby.”

They shared a few more kisses before Franky moved to the side and discarded her own pants onto the floor. She pulled the comforter up over them both as she moved back in close beside the blonde and wrapped her in her arms.

“That’s another first with you.” Franky said quietly after a moment.

“It was really hot.” Bridget cupped the brunette’s cheek and gave her a soft kiss.

Franky just smiled and pulled her closer. There was so much she wanted to tell Bridget about how the blonde made her feel, but she didn’t know how. Until she figured it out, the brunette decided that she’d keep showing her instead.

********

“Franky?”

The brunette heard Emily’s voice as she drifted into consciousness. When Franky opened her eyes, she could see that the morning sun was just barely starting to lighten the sky. She glanced at the clock; it was five in the morning. She felt the young girl start to climb onto the bed.

“Whoa, whoa, wait,” the brunette said, quickly turning over to face Emily, and holding the blanket tightly against her, since neither she nor Bridget were dressed. “What’s going on, bub?”

“I can’t sleep. Can I lay down with you guys?” The young girl looked behind Franky at the space between her and the blonde.

“Uh, how about you go out to the living room and find a cartoon to watch? I’ll come out and lay on the couch with you.” The brunette felt Bridget shift behind her, and glanced back to make sure the older woman was still covered. The blanket had slid about halfway down her back, and Emily looked from her aunt to the younger woman.

“Why is Auntie Bridge not wearing a shirt?” The young girl gave Franky a questioning look.

“She, uh, felt too warm. Go on out now, and I’ll be there in a second,” the brunette said, nodding towards the door. “Please?” She said when Emily hesitated.

The young girl reluctantly left the room, and Franky got out of bed slowly so as not to wake Bridget. She pulled on a pair of pants and a t-shirt, and went out to the living room. The brunette was definitely not ready to wake up this early, and fully intended to sleep through whatever cartoon Emily decided to watch.

Franky laid down on her side on the couch and pulled a blanket over herself. She was already starting to drift off again when she felt the blanket lift, and Emily climb up to lay in front of her.

“Are you going to sleep?” The young girl asked quietly.

“Probably, yeah, but I’m right here.” The last part came out as more of a mumble.

“I couldn’t sleep. I’m too excited.”

“ ‘Bout what?” The only thing Franky could think of was Christmas, but that was a ways off. She hoped that if that was what Emily was excited about, that it wasn’t going to mean a whole month of sleepless nights and early mornings. None of them would do well with that.

“Shopping today,” Emily whispered it quietly, remembering that it was a surprise.

“Ohh, me too, but the stores aren’t even open for a few hours, and we have to wait for Auntie to go to work. Let’s try to sleep a bit more, alright?” The brunette heard a quiet ‘okay’, and felt Emily turn on her side to face the tv. Franky made sure the young girl was covered with the blanket as well, and hoped that they would be able to get a bit more rest. If not, it was going to be a long day out for both of them.

********

Bridget woke up to the sound of her alarm. She felt the cool air on her back and immediately realized that the brunette wasn’t in bed anymore. Her first thought was that Emily wasn’t feeling well again, and Franky had gone to look after her. The blonde quickly put on some clothes and went to see what was going on.

Bridget saw that Emily’s bedroom door was open, and a quick glance inside confirmed that her niece was no longer in her bed. When the blonde entered the living room, she saw Franky and Emily covered up on the couch. The young girl was wide awake watching cartoons on the TV, but Franky was very much asleep.

“Good morning, love,” Bridget said quietly. “You feeling okay?”

Emily nodded. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“Okay. Do you want some breakfast before I shower?” the blonde asked as she made her way towards the kitchen to turn on the coffee maker.

“Yeah, cereal please.”

“Make it two, Gidge,” Franky mumbled from her spot on the couch.

Bridget smiled, took two bowls out of the cupboard, and poured them each some cereal.

Franky propped herself up on some pillows into a half-sitting position, and Emily did the same, leaning back against the brunette. The blonde handed them their bowls over the younger woman’s shoulder, and when Franky looked up at her, she leaned down, giving the brunette a small, but slow, gentle kiss.

“What’s that for?” Franky asked, smiling. Bridget simply shrugged her shoulders and headed to the shower.

“When do we get to leave?” Emily asked as she ate her cereal.

“We have to wait until at least nine.” Franky shoved some cereal into her mouth. Bridget usually bought the sensible “adult” types of cereal, but when the brunette did the shopping she made sure to sneak some of the sugary ones in as well. She claimed they were a treat for Emily, but secretly she enjoyed them too. “If Auntie asks though, we don’t have anything planned other than a cartoon marathon, okay?”

“Okay.”

When Franky had finished her cereal, Bridget was still in the shower. She decided to pack a lunch for her, so that the blonde would have more time to enjoy her breakfast.

“You didn’t have to do that, baby.” Bridget said, entering the kitchen a few moments later.

“I wanted to.” Franky gave her a kiss on the cheek. “What do you want for breakfast?”

“I think I’ll just make some toast today. I can get it.” Bridget put two slices of bread into the toaster, and poured herself a coffee. “What do you two have planned for today?”

“Cartoon marathon!” Emily was almost too eager with her answer.

“Ah, well that sounds lovely,” Bridget said, putting some jam on her toast.

********

After Bridget left for work, Franky sent Emily to get washed up and dressed. The brunette went into the bedroom to change her clothes, and saw a couple of Bridget’s rings on her dresser. She noticed that most of the blonde’s jewelry was silver, so she decided that white gold would be best for her engagement ring. Franky picked up a couple of the rings, and recognized one that she’d see Bridget wear a lot. She slipped it into her pocket and figured it would be close enough to use as a guide.

“Ready?” Franky stuck her head into Emily’s room.

“Yeah.” The young girl pulled on her sock, and hopped off her bed.

Franky could tell that Emily was still excited, so she felt like she needed to explain some rules for the day.

“Hey, Em,” the brunette said, looking into the rearview mirror. “There’s a couple things you have to promise me today, okay?” She watched while the young girl nodded. “Alright. The stores we’re going to are more grown-up places, and I know you’re excited, but I need you to be calm while we’re in there, and always stay with me. No wandering off or running around.”

“Okay. Can I help pick out the ring?”

“Yeah, of course! That’s why I need you to stay with me.” It was a partial lie, but Franky was okay with that. “And if we don’t find something we like today, don’t be disappointed, we can go again another day.” The brunette had in mind what she wanted. She just hoped that when they found it, it fit in her budget. She’d been saving specifically for the ring for awhile, and she had some other money put away that she could use if she needed it. She may not have really admitted it to herself until her time in Wentworth, but she’d known almost right away that Bridget was the woman she was going to marry.

Franky drove to the area of the city where most of the jewelry shops were. She felt out of place almost immediately after they had gotten out of the car. Emily held the brunette’s hand as they walked to the first store. The only jewelry Franky had ever bought for anyone besides herself was the star necklace that she had bought Bridget for her birthday. While she had bought it at a nice store, she hadn’t paid near the amount for it that she knew she’d be spending on a ring today.

“Are you scared?” the young girl asked the brunette.

“A little bit nervous maybe. Why?” Franky was actually a lot nervous. She wanted everything about the proposal to be perfect, starting with the ring.

“Your hand is sweaty.”

Franky let go of Emily’s hand. “Sorry, bub,” she said as she wiped her hand on her pants.

“It’s okay.” The young girl reached up and took the brunette’s hand again.

Franky smiled. Emily was a child, but she was very in tune with other people around her and how they were feeling. Bridget had told the brunette of the time, when Franky was in Wentworth, that her niece had come into her bedroom in the night because she’d heard her crying. Emily knew right away that her aunt was missing the brunette, and stayed to comfort her the rest of the night. Franky knew that, at Emily’s age, she probably hadn’t thought much about what she’d like to be when she grew up, but the brunette wouldn’t be surprised if the young girl became a psychologist like Bridget.

They entered the first store, and started to look at the items in the display cases. The employees were all busy with other customers at the moment, so they had the chance to look for a few minutes without being interrupted. Franky generally told the salespeople that she was fine on her own, and only went to find them when she actually had a question.

“These are all really pretty.” Emily walked along beside the brunette.

“Good morning, is there anything I can help you with?” Franky looked up to see a smartly dressed young man with a name tag that read “Kevin” smiling at her from behind the display counter.

“Uh, I’m looking for an engagement ring.” The brunette’s hand twitch, and she felt Emily give it a small squeeze in response. “For my girlfriend.”

“That’s great! Do you have an idea what you’re looking for?” When Franky looked at him blank for a second, he smiled and continued. “Have you decided which stone you’d like? Traditionally people go for diamonds, but really it can be whatever stone you like.”

“A diamond, yeah.” Franky sighed. “Is it okay if I just look around? I kind of feel like I’ll just know it when I see it.”

“Of course. Let me know if you need anything.” Kevin gave her a warm smile, and went to help another customer.

The brunette looked around the store for a few more minutes, and didn’t see anything that caught her eye. She decided it was time to move on to the next one.

********

They had spent the rest of the morning looking through countless stores, stopped and ate lunch, then continued the search. Franky swore they’d been in every jewelry store in Melbourne, and she knew that Emily must be getting tired because even she herself was feeling like she needed a nap by this point. She was about to give up and say they’d have to try another day when she saw one more store up ahead of them. It was a smaller store, but Franky thought it was worth a shot.

When they went inside, the brunette immediately felt more at ease. There was something calming about the atmosphere of the store. There was an older woman working behind the counter. She smiled and nodded her head towards the brunette and Emily, but remained at her spot while they looked around.

After a few moments, Franky approached the woman. “Hi, I’m, um, looking to buy an engagement ring.”

“Sure, love. Name’s Mae, by the way.” The woman smiled at her, and something about her demeanour reminded her of Liz. “Why don’t you tell me a bit about what you’re looking for?”

The brunette had learned more about rings today than she ever thought possible, so by this time, she felt more prepared to answer these types of questions.

“I want a diamond, not the one big one, but maybe the three smaller ones in a row.” She quickly scanned the display case for what she was looking for.

“A trilogy design?”

“Yeah! That’s what the other guy called it. I want white gold, too. Uh, that’s all, I think.” Franky gave her a weak smile.

“Okay, let me take a few of these out for you to look at.” The saleswoman saw Emily watching her through the glass of the case, and smiled at her. “Who’s the young lady you’ve brought with you?”

“My girlfriend’s niece, Emily.”

“So you get to help pick out a ring for your aunt?” the woman asked.

Emily nodded. “It’s a surprise for Christmas.”

“You must be good at keeping secrets then.” Mae gave her a wink and Emily nodded again and giggled.

The woman set five rings out on top of the display counter. When she had taken out the fourth one, Franky knew right then that that was the one. The brunette saw Emily out of the corner of her eye, stretching to see on top of the counter, so she bent down and picked her up.

“I like number four,” the young girl whispered in Franky’s ear, and the brunette nodded.

“Can I look at the fourth one?” Franky asked. Mae smiled and handed her the ring. “What do you think, bub?” Emily gave a big smile and nodded. It was exactly what Franky had pictured; a white gold band, with three diamonds, a larger one in the middle surrounded by a slightly smaller one on each side with a few smaller stones set into the band. “We like this one.” The brunette handed it back to Mae, and set Emily back on the floor.

“Do you know what size she needs?”

Franky took the ring that she’d taken off Bridget’s dresser that morning, out of her pocket. “This is one of hers,” she said, handing it to Mae.

The woman checked the size of Bridget’s ring and the engagement ring. “Well, what do you know, they’re a match. Seems like it was meant to be. Did you want to take this with you today or have us hold on to it and you can come back for it later?”

“I’ll take it today.” Franky took a deep breath.

“Sure, I’ll get a nice box for you.” Mae reached under the counter and took out a small black velvet box, and placed the ring carefully inside.

It was only a few moments later, and the brunette had paid for the ring, and her and Emily were on their way back to the car.

“So when we get home, I’m going to hide this, we’re going to change back into our pyjamas, and be on the couch watching tv when Auntie gets home. And if she asks what we did today….?” Franky paused to allow the young girl to answer.

“We watched cartoons all day.” Emily gave a small laugh.

“Right!”

********

Franky had stashed the ring in a box of her things in the back of the closet. Bridget should have no reason to be looking for anything in that box. Now, her and Emily were back on the couch watching a cartoon. The brunette could feel the young girl leaning more and more of her weight against her, so Franky pulled a blanket over her to keep Emily warm while she slept. She was impressed because even though she knew the young girl had been tired after the first few hours of shopping, she never complained.

When Bridget returned home, she found the two in the exact same spot as she had left them that morning.

“Did you guys move today at all?” the blonde asked with a small laugh.

“Nah, just stayed here and soaked in the last day of vacation,” Franky said, stretching her arms above her head.

The brunette felt Bridget’s hands take her own, and she tilted her head back over the couch to look at the older woman. The blonde leaned down and gave Franky a gentle kiss. Bridget held Franky’s gaze for a moment.

“Okay, baby. I’m going to get out of these clothes,” she said, making her way to the bedroom. The blonde didn’t believe for a second that they had sat there all day and done nothing. Franky had way too much energy for that. She decided not to push it though since Christmas was fast approaching and she knew that she’d have to make some secret trips herself to pick up gifts.


	44. Chapter 44

It was Monday morning, and Franky’s week off had come to an end. She didn’t have any students this week, but this was her time to take inventory of supplies, order things she needed for the summer classes, and pick out the recipes she’d be teaching in each class. Bridget had woken up before the alarm, and she reached over to turn it off. She knew the brunette was used to sleeping in now, and she thought she’d save her the harsh sound of the alarm on this first morning back.

Franky was laying on her back, and the blonde had been snuggled into the brunette’s side. Bridget carefully raised herself up and placed a soft kiss on her girlfriend’s lips. When the younger woman didn’t stir, she placed soft kisses along her cheek.

“Baby,” she said softly next to the brunette’s ear. Bridget knew this was something that Franky liked.

The younger woman heard the blonde's voice, and let out a contented sigh. She pulled Bridget closer against her.

"It's time to wake up," the blonde said, as she pressed her lips against the skin just below Franky's ear.

"Mmm, not yet." The brunette grinned. She knew that if she resisted waking up, then Bridget would continue her efforts.

Franky felt the blonde shift her weight and straddle the younger woman's hips. She slowly opened her eyes to see Bridget smiling down at her.

"I love you," the brunette said, as she tucked a strand of blonde hair behind the other woman's ear.

Bridget's smile widened even further. "I love you, too." She leaned down and gave Franky a slow kiss.

The brunette slid her hands down her girlfriend's back, and under the waistband of her pants. They came to rest on the older woman's butt, and Franky gave a small squeeze as she pulled Bridget down into her. The blonde let out a small moan against her girlfriend's lips.

"Is this supposed to make me want to get out of bed?" Franky mumbled when they broke the kiss. "Because it's definitely not working."

The blonde let out a small laugh. "Mmm, that was the original idea, yeah." She glanced at the clock. "We've got a couple minutes."

"Babe," Franky said as she reluctantly separated their lips after another few minutes of kissing and wandering hands. "We need to get up."

Bridget let out a sigh. "Okay."

After they dressed, the blonde went to wake Emily while Franky made them all breakfast.

"So what are you two up to today?" Bridget asked as they ate their food.

"Well, I have to pick out recipes for my classes, then count inventory and decide what I need to order, and when, so that I have what I need each week. Did you want to help me with that, Em? Or did you want to bring something to do while I work?" Franky didn't expect Emily to want to help her the whole week, but she wanted her to know the option was there.

"I want to help you," the young girl said as she ate her eggs.

"Okay, but you should bring something fun with you to do as well in case you get bored with me." Franky laughed a bit at her own joke.

"Auntie Bridge, can I go to work with you someday?"

"No, love. It's not allowed." Bridget saw the look of disappointment on the child's face. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Emily shrugged and went back to eating.

When they finished breakfast, Emily decided that she would pack her drawing paper, some markers, and one of her other toys. They said goodbye to Bridget, then left for the Centre shortly after that. Normally Franky didn't have to start work this early, but with no actual classes, the sooner she got there and put in her hours, the sooner she got home.

********

The morning had passed quickly for Franky and Emily. The young girl had helped her pick out most of the recipes for a couple of her classes. Franky decided not to let her help pick the ones for the class she'd be taking with Bridget. They still hadn't told her that they'd signed her up for that one, and Franky wanted it to be a total surprise. Emily knew that she was taking Bea's art class and the science class over the summer, and of course one of Franky's cooking classes, but she didn't know about the one with her Aunt.

The brunette heated up the leftovers they'd brought for lunch, and they sat down at the table in her classroom to eat.

"We need to go Christmas shopping soon so you can pick out a present for Auntie." Franky said between bites of her lunch.

"I don't know what to get her, and I don't have any money." Emily pushed around the food on her plate with her fork.

"You have some time to think about it, and maybe I can help if you get really stuck." The brunette thought for a minute about how to solve the money problem, then it came to her. "You helped me a lot here all those days after school, and you're going to be helping me all summer. I think that's like a job and you've earned some money for doing that. You can use that to buy Auntie a present, okay?"

The young girl's face brightened. "And I can buy one for you, too?"

Franky shook her head. "I don't want anything, bub. Spend it on Auntie."

"Is the ring her present from you?"

"No, I just want to ask her on Christmas morning because I want you to be there too. It's a family holiday and I want all my family there with us." Franky smiled. "I want to ask Liz to be there, too. What do you think?"

Emily gave a big smile and nodded.

"Where do you want to ask me to be?" Liz asked as she entered the classroom. "Hi, love." She gave Emily a kiss on the head and squeezed the brunette's shoulder on the way by. She sat down at the table with them.

"I was going to ask if you'd like to spend Christmas with us. You can come over for Christmas Eve, stay in the spare room, and then you'll be there in the morning when we wake up." Franky watched as a look of confusion came across Liz's face.

"You're asking me to spend Christmas with you? Are you sure?" She looked from Franky to Emily.

"Of course! You and I have spent Christmas together for years now." Franky had pretty much assumed that Liz would have been expecting the invitation.

"Yeah, but this is your first one with Bridget and Em. I figured you guys would have your own plans."

"We do, and they include you. So you'd better be there." Franky reached out and squeezed Liz's hand that was resting on the table.

"Sure, love, I'll be there." Liz's earlier look of confusion was now replaced by a huge smile.

Just as they finished eating, Bea showed up.

"I'm taking your art class!" Emily said excitedly when she spotted the redhead.

"I know! I've got some good stuff planned for you guys. Right now though I've got something I could use your help with. Think you're up for it?" Bea didn't really have anything she needed Emily for, but Liz had asked her to take the young girl for a bit because she needed to talk with Franky.

Emily looked at the brunette. "Go on, bub. I won't do anything too fun without you," Franky said, giving her a small wink.

The young girl happily left with Bea, and the brunette turned her attention back to Liz. She knew from the look on the other woman's face that there was a reason the redhead had come to get Emily.

"What's going on Liz?" Franky asked. The older blonde gave her a look like she didn't know what she meant. "Come on, I can read you better than that by now."

Liz sighed. "There's someone coming here soon who's asked to speak with you. I told them I'd see if you'd agree to it."

Franky's walls and defences were fully up now. "Who is it?"

"Her name is Jillian. She seemed very nice. She's from the Foodlife Networ-"

"No. Nope, just stop there." The brunette shook her head. "The article was the end of it. I don't want to be involved in anything else."

"Love, just hear her out? She seemed really nice on the phone." Liz glanced at the clock. She didn't have much time to convince Franky to agree.

"What did she want?" The only reason the brunette was even considering this was because she trusted Liz.

"I don't know. She just asked for a meeting." She held Franky's stare. She knew the brunette was trying to read her; to see if she knew more than she was letting on. Maybe she did.

If the brunette knew that Liz was holding back, she didn't let on. "Fine. But I want you here."

"Sure, if you want." Liz was willing to give her whatever support she needed. "She should be here any minute now. I told her I'd meet her in my office then I'll bring her here."

Franky nodded slowly as Liz left. She looked at her empty plate, suddenly wishing that she hadn't eaten. She had always had a nervous stomach. There were times as a young child, when her mother was going through one of her really bad times, that she wouldn't be able to keep food down for days. Of course that was assuming there was any food in the house to begin with.

The brunette stood and gathered up hers and Emily's dishes and put them in the sink. She'd deal with them later. She paced up and down the length of the classroom, trying to find something outside the window to distract her. It wasn't long before she heard Liz talking with someone as they approached the room.

" -and this is her classroom." Franky turned when she heard them come through the door. "Franky, this is Jillian" Liz introduced them as the woman held out her hand to shake the brunette's.

Franky quickly sized her up. She was young, maybe twenty-five, with long, curly light brown hair and brown eyes. Franky had a few inches on her, and she made sure to stretch up to her full height to take advantage of any intimidation that might cause.

The brunette reached out and shook Jillian's hand.

"Maybe we could all sit down and have a chat?" Liz motioned towards the dining table.

"So what's this about?" Franky asked as she sat down. She didn't want to be rude, she just wanted to know what this network person was after so that she could tell them to leave her alone.

"Um." Jillian cleared her throat, and Franky could tell she was nervous. "As Liz has probably told you, I work for the Foodlife Network. I'm the producer for a new reality show that will start filming in a couple of months, and I'd like for you to be a part of it."

The brunette looked to Liz, then back at the producer. "You want me to compete again? Are you serious?"

"Yes. Very." Jillian willed herself to hold eye contact with Franky. She wanted this. "That's why I came myself instead of sending one of the casting agents."

"Why?" The brunette leaned back in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. She didn't know if this woman knew what had happened with Mike Pennisi or not. She wasn't from the same network as the other show, but word got around in industry circles.

"To show how serious I am about working with you." She gave a small smile.

"No, I mean why do you even want me in the first place?" Franky shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

"I know you've had a difficult history wi-"

"What do you know about my difficult history?" the brunette asked, leaning forward.

Jillian decided it was time to play the only other card she had in her hand. "Because I was there." Franky gave the woman a look that told her the brunette had no idea what she was talking about. "I used to work for that network. I was only an intern back then. You probably didn't know who I was, I didn't interact with the cast really, at all, but I liked your style, the dishes you came up with. There was always something different about them. You were my pick all the way through."

"And then I fucked it up. Not just for me, for everyone." Franky shook her head, and looked towards the window.

"Mike was an ass. He deserved it. You did what everyone else had been wanting to do for a long time. There were lots of people with smiles on their faces when you took him down," Jillian said, smiling a bit at the memory.

"What I did was wrong. Don't make it sound like it wasn't." She saw the smile disappear from the producer’s face when she realized she'd made a mistake by making light of the incident. "Look, thanks for coming all the way here, I guess, but I'm really not interested in doing another show." Franky stood, hoping Jillian would take the hint that this was over.

"Franky." Jillian stood as well, moving to stand in front of the brunette. "That was years ago. As soon as I knew I was working on this show, I knew I wanted you on it. You had so much potential back then, I can only imagine how much better you've gotten over the past few years."

Franky just shook her head.

Liz, who had been quiet the whole time, spoke up. "Franky, love, you don't have to make a decision right this moment. Why don't you think about it? Talk to Bridget."

"Here." Jillian handed Franky her card. "We're not starting anything until February, but if you could think about it and let me know for sure one way or the other within the next month, that would be great."

Franky took the card, but didn't say anything. Liz knew that when the brunette was quiet like this, the conversation was over.

"Jillian, why don't I walk you out. I think Franky has some things to think about for now." Liz put her hand on the producer's shoulder.

The brunette looked at the card in her hand. It brought up a lot of memories, most of them bad. She knew that she had changed since what happened with Mike, but she was also worried that being put back in almost the exact same situation would trigger something in her again. She didn’t want to be that person again, and she certainly didn’t want Bridget or Emily to see that side of her.

“Love, you alright?” Franky hadn’t heard Liz return, and jumped a bit when she spoke.

“Yeah.” The brunette shoved the card into her pocket, and went to the sink to wash up the dishes from lunch.

“I know you’ve probably got a million things running through your head right now.” Liz came to stand beside Franky at the sink, and spoke quietly. “But just take your time and sort it all out. Really think about it, and talk to Bridget. I’ll support you whether you decide to do it or not, but for what it’s worth, I think you should take the offer.” When the brunette didn’t say anything, Liz simply gave her a pat on the arm, and left her to finish the dishes.

********

Bridget hadn’t wanted to say anything in front of Emily, but now that her niece was gone playing in her room, and her and Franky were cleaning up after supper, the blonde felt like she needed to find out why her girlfriend had seemed preoccupied since she’d gotten home.

“Baby.” Bridget wrapped her arms around the brunette’s waist from behind, and rested her head against the younger woman’s shoulder. “You’ve been lost in thought since you got home today. What’s going on?” The blonde felt her girlfriend sigh.

“Nothing.” Franky knew Bridget would see right through that answer, but it was her go-to response when she was still trying to process something herself. “Okay, it’s not nothing.” The blonde didn’t say anything, but Franky felt the older woman’s arms tighten around her just a little bit. Bridget’s way of saying ‘I’m here, I’m listening when you’re ready’. “Someone came to the Centre today. A producer from the Foodlife Network.” The brunette turned in Bridget’s arms to face her. “She’s a producer on a reality cooking show, and she wants me to compete again.”

Bridget was rarely caught speechless, but this was the last thing she was expecting the brunette to say. “Franky…”

“She was an intern on the show with Pennisi, and she saw the article about me teaching at the Centre. She said I deserved a second chance.” Franky broke eye contact and looked down at the floor.

“You don’t think you do?” the blonde asked quietly.

Franky shrugged. “I ruined the last one. Not just for me, but for everyone. What if it happens again?”

Bridget shook her head. “You’re not the same person you were then.”

“Gidge.” Franky took a shaky breath. “I’m scared. I’m scared that if I put myself back in that situation, then I will be the same as I was back then.”

The blonde reached up and cupped the younger woman’s cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into Bridget’s touch. 

“Baby, you won’t be.” She stretched up and gave Franky a small kiss. “Whatever you decide to do, I’m here, okay?”

The brunette nodded, and pulled Bridget closer. She had a lot to think about.

********

Franky’s mood hadn’t lightened much throughout the evening. She was physically there with Bridget and Emily, but her mind was still somewhere else. The brunette was torn. On one hand, she loved cooking, she loved creating new dishes, and she loved a challenge. She had no problem with those parts of being on the previous show. What she couldn’t handle was the emotional manipulation and mind games that the network liked to play with the contestants. She didn’t see why this time would be any different in that respect.

When Bridget had finished her shower and put on her pyjamas, she made her way into their bedroom, and found Franky laying in their bed staring up at the ceiling. The blonde lifted the blankets, and the younger woman automatically put out her arm, welcoming Bridget to lay close beside her. After a couple of moments of them laying there in silence, Franky motioned for the blonde to move up a bit.

Bridget moved so she was now face to face with the brunette, and half on top of her.

Franky reached up, and placed her hand on the blonde’s cheek. “Come here,” she said, pulling Bridget gently towards her, and connecting their lips. Their kiss was slow and soft, and the brunette felt her body relax immediately when Bridget rested more of her weight against her.

When the blonde pulled back, she could see the storminess in Franky’s green eyes. “Baby.” Bridget leaned down and gave her another soft kiss. “Talk to me.”

“I don’t even know what to say, Gidge. There’s just a million things in my head right now. I always thought I’d say ‘no’ right away if someone asked me to do a show again, but here I am actually thinking about it.” The brunette pulled the older woman a bit closer. “I don’t want to think about it anymore tonight.”

“Okay, we can talk about whatever you like.” Bridget smiled at her.

Franky connected their lips again. “You smell good.”

The blonde let out a laugh. “Is that what you want to talk about? How I smell?”

The brunette took Bridget in her arms and flipped them over. Franky looked down at her girlfriend with a big smile on her face. She gave Bridget a quick kiss.

“I got a new body wash.” The blonde mumbled against the younger woman’s lips.

“I like it. You should keep that one.” Franky moved her lips to Bridget’s neck.

The blonde let her linger there for a moment before she flipped them back over. “Take off your shirt and turn over,” she whispered next to the younger woman’s ear. Franky opened her mouth to question why, when Bridget put a finger on the brunette’s lips to silence her. “Just do it.”

Franky reached down, and rid herself of her t-shirt. The blonde shifted enough that her girlfriend was then able to turn over and lie on her stomach before settling back on top of her, straddling her thighs.

Bridget let her hands run lightly over the brunette’s back. “I’m going to help you relax. No talking.”

Franky answered with a small moan as the blonde’s hands continued across her back. She knew that rubbing Franky’s back was something that usually relaxed her, and she felt like the younger woman could certainly use that tonight.

Bridget started at the brunette’s shoulders and slowly worked her way down and then back up. She could see that Franky had closed her eyes. She took that as a good sign since the brunette had been wide awake staring at the ceiling when she’d walked in a few moments ago. After she felt like the initial edge had been taken off of Franky’s restlessness, she leaned forward and placed a small kiss on the nape of the brunette’s neck. 

Franky sighed. “I don’t want to lose you, Gidge.”

“Mmm, why would you lose me, baby?” The blonde placed another kiss on the back of her girlfriend’s neck.

“I’m scared that if I do the show, and you see who I really am because I fuck up again, that I’ll lose you.”

Bridget placed a kiss on the back of Franky’s shoulder. “I know who you really are, it’s the person you are now. The person you are with me, and Em. You’re not going to lose me, so don’t let that be a factor in your decision. If you want to try it again, try it. At the end of it, no matter what, you’ll still have me, you’ll still have Em, and we’ll still have our life together, okay?”

“Okay.” The blonde felt Franky take in a deep breath then let it out slowly. “I’m still not deciding yet though.”

“Okay, baby.” Bridget continued leaving a trail of small kisses across the brunette’s shoulder, then down the middle of her back. She felt Franky’s muscles twitch under her lips a couple of times, but by the time she had made her way back up the younger woman’s back, she could tell that she had fallen asleep. Bridget smiled to herself, and gently moved to lay beside the brunette. She pulled the blanket up to cover Franky, and placed a hand on the middle of the younger woman’s back, slowly brushing her thumb back and forth over her soft, smooth skin. Bridget placed a final kiss on the back of the brunette’s shoulder before resting her head there. She hoped that her girlfriend was able to come to a decision without too many restless nights.


	45. Chapter 45

Franky had finished her week of planning, and today, she had plans with Vera. Bridget’s friend had called her a couple of days ago, and asked if she could give her a cooking lesson. Specifically, she wanted to make a meal for her and Jake. They had seen each other a couple of times, and Vera wanted to ask him over for dinner. She had experienced Franky’s cooking firsthand a few times, and Bridget was always bringing delicious leftovers to work for her lunch or talking about a new dish that the brunette had made for them. Now, she was hoping to recreate one of them herself.

Vera had mentioned it to Bridget one day at work, saying she was nervous to ask Franky for help. They were on good terms after everything that had happened at Wentworth, but in Vera’s mind, them being okay hanging out, and asking her for help were two different things. She didn’t know if she and the brunette were at that point yet where that would be alright.

Bridget had assured her that Franky would be fine with it. In fact, Franky hadn’t mentioned what had gone on with her and Vera in Wentworth since the day that the Governor had come to talk to her after she was released. The blonde knew that if Franky said she had forgiven someone, then she genuinely had.

Bridget had something planned for the day as well. She was taking Emily Christmas shopping for Franky’s presents. Unknown to Bridget, the brunette had kept her promise to Emily to give her some money for helping her with the prep work for her classes. She made it clear again though, that she didn’t want a present. If Emily wanted to get something for anyone else that was fine, but Franky didn’t want or need anything.

“You ready, love?” Bridget called down the hallway towards Emily’s room.

“Almost!” Came the reply from the end of the hall.

“She’s taking almost as much time to get ready as you do.” Bridget joined Franky in the kitchen where the brunette was laying out things she’d need for her afternoon with Vera.

“Hey now! I don’t hear you complaining about the end product.” Franky pretended to be hurt by the blonde’s comment.

“Mmm, no.” Bridget smiled as she put her arms around the younger woman’s neck and gave her a kiss. “I love the end product.”

Franky gave a small laugh. “Good,” the brunette said, lowering her head to kiss Bridget again.

They were lost in their kiss until the sound of Vera clearing her throat got their attention.

“Oh, sorry, Vera. We didn’t hear you come in.” The blonde gave her an apologetic smile.

“No worries,” the smaller brunette sat the bags of groceries she’d brought on the kitchen island.

“I’m ready!” Em ran to the door to get her shoes.

“That’s my cue,” Bridget said, giving them both a smile. “Have fun you guys! I’ll see you for supper.” She gave Franky another quick kiss, and squeezed Vera’s shoulder on the way by.

“Don’t be late! We’re making some good stuff here,” Franky called down the hall after Bridget. “Alright, ready to get started?”

Vera gave a nod, and began unpacking the bags of food she had brought with her.

********

It wasn’t long before Bridget and Emily arrived at the shopping district. Franky and the blonde had decided they would have a small Christmas and get each other just one or two gifts. Bridget had a feeling though that they would end up spoiling Emily.

"Which store are we going to?" Emily asked as they walked along.

"Well, there's a store that sells all kinds of kitchen stuff. Every time I've been in there with Franky she looks at this set of cookware that she wants, but she won't buy it for herself." Bridget thought of all the times she'd seen the brunette handle the display set at the store, and comment on all the details of them. In the end though, she always walked away from them.

The blonde never asked, but she assumed that Franky thought they were either too expensive, or unnecessary. Little did she know, the brunette had been saving to buy her engagement ring instead.

"Are you going to buy it for her?" the young girl asked her aunt.

"Yeah, I am. I think she'll like it and be surprised." Bridget wanted to get her something else as well. Something that was a little more fun, and a little less practical, but she wasn't sure yet what that would be.

When they got to the store she noticed Emily carefully looking at all of the kitchen tools and gadgets as they walked.

"What is this for?" Emily asked, picking up a utensil that Bridget had never seen before.

"I don't know, love. You'll have to ask Franky if you're here with her sometime." The blonde never knew that cooking involved so many strange things.

"Can I help you find anything?" Bridget turned to see a young man, who clearly worked for the store.

"Um, yes, actually I know what I want. The cookware set just over here." The blonde led him over to where it was.

"Excellent choice. It's kind of heavy so I'll get someone to carry it out for you,' he said, and led the way to the checkout.

Bridget saw Emily looking at some of the items they had for young chefs. She figured that Franky's gift to the young girl would probably be something from that section.

"Em, you ready to go?" The blonde had paid, and another employee was waiting to carry the parcel out to her car.

Emily reluctantly followed her aunt. Bridget thought that maybe next they would go to the mall since she wasn't sure what else she was going to get Franky or what Emily wanted to get for her.

********

"So is this the first time you're cooking for him?" Franky asked as she set a frying pan on the stove.

"I've made a couple of things for us before, but nothing big. This is the first kind of fancy meal. I want it to be special." Vera could feel the blush rising in her cheeks, and quickly looked away hoping that Franky wouldn't notice.

"Vera." Franky dipped her head so she could see Vera's face better. "Are you blushing? Wow, you must really like him. So how are things going?"

"Good, they're...good." Vera nervously scratched at the back of her neck and looked behind her even though she and the brunette were the only two in the house. "Can I, uh, ask you something?"

Franky studied her for a moment. "Sure."

"When I came in, you and Bridget were kissing." Vera glanced at the brunette quickly before looking down again. "Would you say that's normal?"

"Is what normal?" Franky waited for a response.

"Being that attracted to someone that you..." Vera trailed off.

"That you can't keep your hands off each other?" The brunette gave her a grin.

"Yeah," the other woman answered quietly.

"I don't know. I mean, it's normal for us for sure, but Gidge has been my only relationship, so I can't really say in general. I think it's pretty common though." Franky watched her for a minute. "Is there trouble with Jake?"

"No, not trouble. We're just not like that." Vera studied the countertop in front of her.

"Is it just him? Have you been like that with other people?" Franky felt like she was out of her depth here. The only people she really had meaningful conversations with were Liz and Bridget.

Vera shrugged. "There hasn't really been anyone..."

"Oh." For some reason, the admission didn't shock the brunette. Maybe it was Vera's awkwardness at Bridget's birthday party, and at the club that made Franky suspect that there hadn't really been anyone special in the governor's life before. "I don't think you should worry about what's normal and what's not. If you're both happy and okay with how your relationship works then that's what matters. That's just my opinion though. Have you talked to Gidge about it?"

"No, we don't really talk about that kind of stuff. I mean, she does, I don't. She's talked about her ex with me, and a couple women she went on dates with, and you. Well, not about you like in a bad way or anything. I just mean like when she first met you, and when she wanted to ask you to move in with her." Vera stopped talking when she saw the half-grin on Franky's face. "What? What's that look for?"

"Nothing. I'm glad she has you to talk to." Franky wondered what Bridget had told her friend of her first impressions of the brunette. She could picture an excited Bridget telling Vera about this new person she'd met. Franky wondered if she'd told Vera right away, or if she'd kept it to herself for a while. "When did she tell you we'd met?" She couldn't help herself. Her curiosity had gotten the best of her.

"The day she brought your lasagne for lunch. I asked where she'd gotten it from, and she acted offended that I didn't think that maybe she'd made it herself." Vera gave a small laugh, remembering their conversation. "I'm glad she met you. She deserves someone good, and I could tell very early on that she really loves you."

"Yeah." A huge grin broke out across the brunette's face. In that moment, she realized that while she had been most concerned with getting Emily's blessing for her proposal, Vera was someone who was important in Bridget's life as well. Even though Franky wasn't seeking Vera's approval, she felt like maybe she should fill the governor in on her plans. "How good are you at keeping secrets?"

"Uh, good, I think?" Vera was cautious. She didn't like not knowing exactly what she was agreeing to.

"Wait here. I'll be right back." Franky wanted to show her the ring. She thought that maybe, subconsciously, she needed confirmation that she'd picked the right one.

The brunette went to their bedroom and retrieved the small black box from its hiding spot in the back of the closet. Her stomach did a nervous/excited flop when she had it in her hand again. When Franky exited the bedroom, she saw Vera peeking around the corner from the kitchen.

The brunette sat the box down on the edge of the counter. "Have a look." She nodded her head towards it.

Vera picked up the box, and opened the lid. "Oh my god. Is this..?"

"An engagement ring? Yeah." Franky's smile grew even more. "I'm going to ask her on Christmas morning."

"This is really beautiful." She tilted the box, so the stones would catch the light. "She's going to love it."

"Think she'll say 'yes'?" Franky gave a small laugh, but hidden under her joke was a bit of insecurity.

"Oh yeah." The governor closed the box and handed it back to the brunette. "She definitely will."

"I'm going to put this away, then we need to get started, otherwise it won't be ready when they get back." The brunette headed back to the bedroom to hide the small box again. When she returned to the kitchen, she and Vera started their cooking lesson.

********

Bridget and Emily had arrived at the mall, and were currently window shopping to see if there was anything that caught their eye. They were just passing by a store that let you pick out a stuffed animal and dress it in an outfit when Emily stopped.

It took the blonde a second to realize that the young girl was no longer beside her. “Em?” She turned to look behind her and spotted Emily looking at a teddy bear that was dressed as a chef in the window display. “Did you want to go in there?” Bridget asked as she walked back to where her niece was standing. When Emily didn’t answer, the blonde crouched down beside her. “What’s wrong, love?” she asked, noticing the look on the girl’s face.

“I want to get that for Franky,” she said, pointing to the bear in the window.

“I think she’d really like it. Let’s go in.” Bridget started to stand up, but stopped when the young girl spoke again.

“I can’t get it for her.”

“Why not?” The blonde couldn’t think of a reason why Emily wouldn’t be able to get Franky a present.

“She said not to,” the young girl said quietly. “I have money, but she said I wasn’t allowed to buy anything for her.” Emily showed her aunt the money she had in her small bag.

“Love, where did you get this?” Bridget glanced into the bag and easily counted fifty dollars, but guessed there was more.

“Franky gave it to me for helping her at work, but she said she didn’t want presents.” Emily looked at the teddy bear again then to her aunt.

“Well that was nice of her to give it to you.” Bridget thought for a moment how to tell the young girl that sometimes it was okay to not listen to what Franky told her to do. “I know she told you that she didn’t want any gifts, but if you want to get it for her it’s okay.”

“She won’t be mad?” Emily asked quietly.

“No, she won’t be mad.” The blonde gave her a smile. “Come on.” Bridget took Emily’s hand, and led her into the store.

A few minutes later, they left, with Emily happy that she’d found something she thought Franky would like.

Bridget wasn’t sure what else to get the brunette. She’d probably gone way over the definition of a “small Christmas” with the cookware set, but she wanted to get her more than just the one gift.

She thought of how stressed the brunette had been lately. Even though Franky hadn’t mentioned the show again since that first night, Bridget knew that it was weighing heavy on the brunette’s mind. No matter how much of a front Franky put up during the day, her actions when they laid in bed at the end of the day always gave her away. The brunette held Bridget a bit closer now, and it hadn’t gone unnoticed by the blonde.

As they passed a bookstore, Bridget had a thought. She remembered one night, when they were choosing a movie to watch, Franky had mentioned that she’d never read the Harry Potter books, but that it was something she wanted to do. The blonde knew that her girlfriend hadn’t had a lot of time to read lately at home, but it was something that she used to pass the time in Wentworth, and she had brought a couple boxes of books with her when she moved in.

“Em, let’s go in here for a minute.” Bridget redirected the young girl into the store. The blonde saw what she wanted almost immediately.

“Is that for Franky?” Emily asked when her aunt picked up the box set of books.

“Yeah, it is. She wants to read them and never got the chance yet.” The blonde headed to the checkout. 

********

Later that night after all their shopping was done, Bridget and Emily returned home to find the house filled with the delicious smell of the dinner that Franky and Vera had cooked.

“Oo, smells good in here, baby,” Bridget said, giving Franky a kiss. “What did you guys make?”

“Chicken parm. The same thing I made for you on our first date.” The brunette gave her girlfriend a wink.

“Ah, I remember, it was delicious. Jake will love it, Vera.”

Franky looked around and saw that the two hadn’t brought any bags in with them. “Do you need help carrying stuff in?” she asked the blonde.

“Nope, it’s all staying in the car until sometime you’re not around.” Bridget giggled when she saw the fake look of hurt on her girlfriend’s face. “Christmas secrets, baby.”

“Sounds like you had a successful day,” Vera said as she checked the meal cooking on the stove.

“Yeah, we did. I think my shopping is done now,” the blonde said as she started to get the dishes down out of the cabinet.

“Hey, Em!” Franky called down the hallway.

“Yeah?” the young girl asked, sticking her head out of her bedroom door.

“You and me tomorrow, yeah? We’re going shopping.”

“Okay!” Emily’s face lit up, and she ducked her head back inside her room.

After a few minutes, they were all sitting around the table eating.

********

Later that evening, Bridget was laying in bed waiting for Franky to finish checking to make sure the doors were all locked. She had debated with herself ever since she’d found out that the brunette had given money to Emily, whether or not to say anything about it. She didn’t want to spoil the surprise and tell Franky what the young girl had bought for her, but she also didn’t want Franky to say that she shouldn’t have bought it since Emily was already worried that the brunette would be mad.

“Baby, I need to tell you something, but you can’t let Em know that I told you,” Bridget said as she cuddled into Franky’s side when the brunette finally crawled into their bed.

“That sounds ominous, Gidge.” Franky gave her a half smile.

“Nah, it’s nothing bad. When Em and I were shopping today, she told me that you gave her money for helping you.”

Franky thought for a minute that maybe Bridget was upset. She hadn’t asked her if it was okay to give the young girl money. “Yeah, I did. She said she wanted to buy presents, and I kind of used that as an excuse to give her some money. I didn’t want her to feel like I was just giving it to her for no reason.”

“That’s fine, I think it was a good idea actually. Today when we were shopping though, she wanted to buy something for you. She was worried you’d be mad though because you said you didn’t want any presents.” The blonde glanced up at Franky. “She really wanted to get you something so I told her it was okay, and that you wouldn’t be mad. So when you see a gift from her, just don’t say anything about it, okay?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think it would upset her. There’s just really nothing I would ask for, so I said she should spend it on you.” The brunette took a deep breath. “I won’t say anything, and I’m not upset. I wouldn’t have been even if you hadn’t told me.”

“I know, baby.” Bridget stretched up and gave her a kiss. “You’re really good with her.”

Franky turned onto her side, and pulled the blonde in for another kiss. She felt Bridget press against her. “Babe?” the brunette asked, breaking their kiss.

“Mmm?” It came out half as a response to her girlfriend’s question, and half as a protest to the brunette pulling away from her.

“Do you think we’re normal?”

“What?” Bridget let out a laugh that Franky wasn’t expecting.

“Do you think we’re normal? Like do we act like a normal couple?” Vera’s question earlier had her thinking, and she wanted to know Bridget’s opinion. Franky knew that the blonde had been in relationships before, so she would have something to compare it to. Not to mention, being a psychologist, she’d have heard about many people’s relationships during their sessions.

“Well first of all, what’s normal? And second, in what way are you asking about?” Bridget let her fingers find their way under the hem of Franky’s shirt to gently brush the soft skin on her lower back.

“In that way. Stuff like that.” The brunette’s eye flicked downward, indicating that she was referring to what Bridget was doing with her hand. When the blonde didn’t immediately answer, Franky continued. “You know how Vera saw us kissing when she came in?”

“Mhm.”

“She asked me if that was normal for a couple to do. Like if it was normal that we’re as affectionate with each other as we are.” Franky saw a small smile appear on the blonde’s face.

“What did you tell her?” Bridget asked quietly.

“I said that I didn’t know what normal was, but that how we are was normal for us.” The brunette returned her girlfriend’s smile.

“I think that’s the perfect answer.” The blonde gave her a small kiss.

“Were your other relationships like this?” Franky didn’t like to think about her girlfriend being with someone else, so she rarely, if ever asked questions about her exes. This time though, Vera’s comments had made her curious. Not having any of her own relationships to draw from, she decided to ask.

“No. Maybe in the first month or so, but it was never anything that persisted like this.” Bridget watched Franky’s face as the brunette’s eyes fluttered shut for a second when her fingers passed over a sensitive spot on the younger woman’s back. The blonde leaned in and gave her another kiss.

“Okay,” Franky whispered, pulling her closer. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Bridget continued her movements with her fingers on the brunette’s back until she felt Franky’s arms relax a bit around her, indicating that she’d fallen asleep.

********

The next morning after breakfast, Franky and Emily headed out to do their Christmas shopping. The brunette knew that Emily had been out the day before with Bridget, so she was hoping they would find what they were looking for quickly before the young girl got too tired.

“Have you thought about what you want to get for Auntie?” Franky asked as they walked into the mall.

“Yeah, but I’m not sure what she’d like,” Emily said quietly.

“I’m sure she’d like anything you pick for her. We’ll have a look around and see if there’s anything you like.” Franky felt the young girl reach up and take her hand.

“Do you know what you’re going to get for her?”

“Yeah. I just need to find the store.” The brunette looked around until she spotted what she was searching for. “Over here, bub.” She led Emily into a store.

“Can I help you?” the saleswoman asked from behind the counter.

“Yeah, actually, I’d like to get a custom poster made.”

“Sure. What would you like?” She took a form from under the counter to fill out.

“I have it right here.” Franky reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. She unfolded it, and laid it on the counter. “I’d like a map of this area of the city,” she said, pointing to an area on her paper. “Then I want these three spots marked on the map, then the coordinates listed below with these dates beside them.”

“No problem. If you’ll just fill this out with your contact info, then we’ll email you with our design and once you okay it, we’ll get it made.” The saleswoman slid the piece of paper across the counter to the brunette.

“Can I get it framed as well?” Franky asked as she filled out the form.

“Of course. There’s an option for that you can check off at the bottom.”

The brunette nodded her head, and finished filling out the form. The saleswoman told her it would probably be a couple of days before she could pick it up. Franky had also ordered theatre tickets to a show that Bridget had mentioned she’d like to see, so her shopping was now done. She’d gladly have bought much more, but she still had to buy gifts for Liz and Emily, and the engagement ring had taken most of the money she had saved.

“I want to get Auntie Bridge something fun, because she works a lot.” Emily said as she walked through the mall with Franky a few moments later.

“Hmm, okay.” The brunette thought for a minute. “Do you want to get something for her to do, or something to read, or…?”

“Something to do nothing.”

Franky was confused for a moment by the young girl’s statement. “You mean something relaxing?”

“Yeah! But what?” Emily shrugged.

“Well, it could be something to read, or watch….” The brunette trailed off. She realized that maybe both her and Bridget were bad at relaxing since she couldn’t think of anything more than those two suggestions.

“What are those?” the young girl asked, pointing to the window display of a nearby store.

“Ah! Those are bath bombs. You put them in the water when you take a bath and they’re fizzy and smell really good,” Franky explained.

“Baths are relaxing.”

“Yeah, they are.” The brunette smiled. She could picture Bridget relaxing after a long day. “Let’s go have a look at them.”

By the end of the morning, Emily had picked up the set of bath bombs and coffee mug that said “#1 Aunt” for Bridget, and an assortment of teas for Liz.

********

When they arrived home, Bridget was working on getting lunch ready.

“Can I help?” Emily asked when she saw her aunt in the kitchen.

The blonde looked up, surprised. “Yeah, of course.” It was the first time that the young girl had asked to cook with her.

“Maybe now’s a good time to tell her about the class,” Franky whispered in Bridget’s ear, then gave her a kiss on the cheek. The older woman gave a small nod.

“So Em, you know we signed you up for some classes this summer, yeah?” Bridget asked, as she slid some veggies in front of her niece to cut up for the salad.

“Yeah. Art with Bea, and science, and one with Franky!”

“Two with me actually, bub,” the brunette said, sitting down on one of the stools on the opposite side of the kitchen island.

Emily had stopped cutting the vegetables and looked to Franky then her aunt.

“I signed you and I up for a class with her too. So you’ll have one on your own, and one with me.” Bridget watched as it took a moment for it to sink in for the young girl, then Emily’s face lit up and she put her arms around Bridget. “Whoa, careful.” The blonde took the knife that Emily had forgotten she was holding, and laid it on the countertop.

Franky smiled, and caught the blonde’s eye. She was happy that Emily was excited to be taking a class with her aunt.

********

“Where did you spend Christmas before?” Franky asked as Bridget laid against her side in bed that night.

“I usually flew to Sydney and stayed with Tim and his family.”

Franky felt the blonde move a bit closer. “Shit, I’m sorry, Gidge.”

“It’s okay.” Bridget gave her a small smile. “I have you and Emily. Did you mention it to Liz yet?”

“Yeah, she loved the idea.” Franky saw a small smile appear on the older woman’s face. “We’re putting a tree up, right?”

“Yeah, baby.” Bridget gave a small laugh.

“We should all make cookies too.” The more the brunette thought about the upcoming holiday, the more excited and awake she felt.

“That sounds lovely, but baby,” the blonde placed her hand on Franky’s cheek so she’d turn to look at her. “Maybe now isn’t the time to think about all those things. You should be relaxing and going to sleep, not waking up.” Bridget gave her girlfriend a kiss.

“You’re right.” Franky gave her another kiss, and laid on her side to face the blonde. She was quiet for a moment, then her mind drifted back to her conversation with Vera the day before. “What about Vera?”

“Hmm?” Came Bridget’s half-asleep reply.

“Where does Vera go for Christmas?”

“Since her mom passed away, she usually spent them with me. Whether I was here or in Sydney. I assume this year she’ll be with Jake.” The blonde snuggled into Franky’s chest. She was definitely ready for sleep.

“If she doesn’t spend it with Jake then she should be here with us,” Franky said as she rubbed Bridget’s back.

The older woman opened her eyes and pulled back a bit so she could see Franky’s face. “Are her and Jake having problems?” Bridget hadn’t thought much about it when the younger woman had mentioned that Vera asked about how ‘normal’ couples act, but maybe there was more to that question than just curiosity.

“I don’t think so. I’m just saying she shouldn’t be alone, so if she’s not with him then she should be here with us.” In all honesty Franky did think there were problems between Jake and Vera or at the very least, Bridget’s friend was questioning her feelings.

“Okay. I’ll mention it to her.” The blonde put her head back down. “Let’s get some sleep now.”

“I love you,” Franky said quietly. Bridget felt a soft kiss on the top of her head.

“I love you, too.” Her reply was barely audible, but the brunette caught it.


	46. Chapter 46

Franky was awake, but there were still a few minutes before their alarm was set to go off, so she laid there just enjoying the quiet of the morning with Bridget still in her arms. After a moment, she felt the blonde stir. She thought that maybe the older woman was starting to wake up, but then she heard a barely audible moan escape her lips. She pulled back and lifted her head a bit to look down at Bridget’s face, and saw that she definitely wasn’t waking up, she was having a dream. A very good dream it seemed. Franky smiled to herself, then rested her head back on her pillow, careful not to disturb her girlfriend. The brunette felt Bridget’s fingers flex against her back a few times, then she was quiet for a few seconds before Franky saw her blue eyes open.

She moved her fingers over the blonde’s side. “Good dream, babe?”

“Mmm.” Bridget smiled, and turned her face into the pillow. “Was it that obvious?” she asked, her voice muffled.

“Yeah.” The brunette let out a small laugh. “Hey, look at me,” she whispered quietly. The blonde turned to face her, and Franky lowered her head to give her a soft kiss. “Was it about me?” she asked with a smirk on her face.

“Of course.” Bridget placed her hand on the back of her girlfriend’s head, and pulled her in for a long, slow kiss.

As Franky deepened the kiss, the older woman wondered how long they had before they had to get up and ready for work. She quickly opened her eyes, and glanced over the brunette’s shoulder. They didn’t have a lot of time, but they had enough. Bridget’s dream had been good, but it had really only served one purpose, and had only left her wanting more. She quickly found Franky’s hand, which was still resting on her side, and covered it with her own. Bridget then slid her girlfriend’s hand around to rest on her stomach, and pushed it down, causing the brunette’s fingertips to dip under the waistband of her underwear. The blonde felt Franky’s lips stretch into a smile.

“Dream got you all hot and bothered, huh?” the younger woman said against Bridget’s lips.

“Mhm.” The blonde nipped at Franky’s bottom lip. “Please.”

Franky slid her hand the rest of the way into Bridget’s underwear and let her fingers brush over the older woman’s clit then down across her folds. “You’re so wet, babe. What was I doing to you in that dream?” The brunette watched as Bridget shook her head slightly. “Tell me.” Franky moved her fingers over the other woman again, gathering more wetness.

The blonde let out a small moan. “You were fucking me.”

“Is that what you want?” Franky asked. She pulled back just enough that the blonde couldn’t connect their lips when she tried.

“Yes.”

The brunette pushed two fingers inside Bridget, and set her pace. She curled her fingers and the blonde let out a moan. The younger woman felt Bridget shift from her side to her back, as she pulled the brunette on top of her. From her new position, Franky was able to get a bit more leverage. She lowered her head and gently bit the small patch of exposed skin at the base of the blonde’s neck. The younger woman felt her girlfriend’s leg tremble against her own.

Franky worked her way slowly up Bridget’s neck, leaving small bites and soothing them with her tongue, until she got to the sensitive spot under her ear. Bridget turned her head slightly to allow the brunette better access.

As Franky lingered there, she again felt all the small movements of Bridget’s muscles. The brunette could tell that her girlfriend was nearing her climax, then she felt the older woman take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Franky knew this meant she was trying to calm herself down. The brunette slowed her pace a bit, and lifted her head. She met Bridget’s eyes, and held her gaze for a few seconds before the blonde reached up and wrapped her arms around Franky’s neck. The younger woman placed a soft kiss on her lips, then lowered her head again as Bridget pulled her closer. Franky picked up the pace again, curling her fingers to hit that spot inside the blonde, and it wasn’t long before she felt Bridget’s body tense as her orgasm hit her.

The brunette gradually slowed as she felt the last waves of pleasure run through her girlfriend. She picked up her head and placed a small kiss on Bridget’s cheek, then her lips.

“I love you,” Franky whispered softly.

“I love you, too,” Bridget replied as the younger woman placed light kisses on the side of her neck.

Franky placed one final kiss on the blonde’s neck. “We should get up now. I’ll make breakfast.”

********

When Bridget entered the kitchen, Franky was just putting breakfast on the table. She and Emily had made omelettes.

“Are you guys excited for your first class tonight?” the brunette asked as they all sat down to eat.  
It was almost the end of the first week of summer classes at the Centre. Emily had enjoyed the ones that she had been to so far, but tonight was the first session of the one she and Bridget were taking together. Franky was looking forward to having them both in her class.

“Yeah! What are we making?” Emily asked with a mouthful of food.

“That’s a surprise, bub.” Franky winked at her.

“Do I get to know?” Bridget asked with a smile.

The brunette signalled for her to lean in close. Franky put her hand up so the young girl couldn’t see what she was saying to Bridget.

“No,” the brunette whispered. Bridget laughed.

“Hey, no fair!” Emily exclaimed from across the table.

“She didn’t tell me, love. We’ll find out together tonight.” The blonde reached out and patted her niece’s hand. “And speaking of tonight, how about I pick up something for us for supper, and meet you guys at the Centre?”

“That sounds great! We can eat in the classroom or there’s some tables outside.” Franky said, putting a forkful of omelette into her mouth.

After they had finished eating, Emily went to her room to gather the things she’d need for the day.

“We should go shopping soon and get her Christmas presents,” Bridget said as she helped Franky clear away the breakfast dishes.

“Yeah definitely! I picked out some things…” The brunette reached for her phone, and the older woman gently reached out to stop her.

“Shh, baby. She’ll be back any second.” The blonde gave her a small kiss. “And we’re not going to spoil her, yeah? We agreed.” Bridget waited until Franky nodded her head.

“I did pick out a couple things I want to get for her though,” the brunette whispered.

Bridget gave a small laugh. “Okay. You can tell me about them later.”

********

“Hey, Vera. I haven’t seen you in here all week,” the blonde said as she sat down at the staff room lunch table with her friend.

“I know, I’m sorry, it’s just been a crazy week. I’ve had meetings and mountains of paperwork.” Vera let out a sigh as she unpacked her lunch.

“Is that all you brought?” Bridget looked at the small container of salad that Vera had sat in front of her. It looked to be mostly lettuce.

“Yeah, I’ve just been so tired these past few days that I haven’t been cooking when I go home.” She stuck her fork into the salad.

The blonde got up and walked over to the small kitchen area, she put her bowl of soup in the microwave and grabbed a plate off the shelf. She waited the few seconds for the microwave to finish then carried her food back to the table.

“Here.” She set the bowl of soup in front of Vera, and placed half of her sandwich on the plate, which she also put in front of her friend. Vera opened her mouth to protest, but the blonde cut her off. “Franky always packs way too much. I still have yogurt, fruit, a granola bar, and a salad. So you eat that. Besides, I’m picking up supper for us to have at the Centre, and tonight is my first class with Em, so I'll probably have something to eat there too.”

“Thank you so much. God, this soup is amazing.” Vera closed her eyes when she tasted it.

“Something Franky made the other night. I don’t even know what it’s called.” Bridget let out a small laugh.

Vera gave her a small smile. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you. Do you guys have plans with Em this weekend?”

The blonde shook her head. “No, nothing with me, and nothing that I know of with Franky. Why?”

“I was thinking it was time for her and I to maybe have a fun night again. Watch a movie and have some snacks. She can spend the night if she wants.”

“Sounds lovely, but I thought you were seeing Jake this weekend. You were going to cook for him.” Bridget took a bite of her sandwich and leaned back in her chair. She had had a feeling ever since Franky had told her about Vera’s question that maybe she and Jake’s relationship wasn’t going well.

“Oh, uh, we decided to postpone it. This weekend just wasn’t a good time.” Vera caught the blonde’s eye, then quickly looked down. She knew her friend could read her like a book, but she didn’t really want to talk about it, especially not at work. If Vera was being honest, she was looking to keep herself busy and keep her mind off her boyfriend. She loved spending time with Emily anyway, so this solution was a win-win.

Bridget knew there was more to the story, but decided to drop it for now. She would talk to Vera more when they were alone. “Okay, well, I think it’s a nice idea if you want to spend some time with Em. Just let me know which day works for you.” The blonde gave her friend a small smile.

“Maybe I could pick her up Saturday morning? That would give you and Franky most of the day and all evening together, and I’ll bring her back Sunday morning.” Vera took a bite of the sandwich Bridget had shared with her. “Seriously, even the sandwich is amazing.”

“She makes her own mayo.” Bridget gave a small laugh.

“Of course she does,” Vera said with mock sarcasm.

“That doesn’t leave you much of the weekend though, are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. Plus it’ll give you and Franky some time to yourselves.” The governor gave her friend an awkward smile.

“Well, that’s very thoughtful, Vera. You’re welcome to come pick her up whenever you want. I’ll make sure she’s got her things packed.” Bridget thought for a moment. “Why don’t you join us for supper tonight? That way you won’t have to worry about making anything when you get home.”

“Oh, uh, that’s very nice of you, but I couldn’t. That’s your time with Franky and Em.”

“Vera.” Bridget waited until her friend looked at her. “I live with them. I see them all the time. I’m sure they’d love to see you.”

“I’ll have to check and see what I need to have done by tomorrow.” Vera sighed.

“Well, you need to eat either way, so you might as well eat with us. I’m thinking either Thai or Mexican.” Bridget checked her watch and realized that she had a session starting soon. “I need to get back to work. But anyway, I’m heading straight over there at the end of the day, so I’ll check back with you before I leave, okay?”

“Okay. And thanks again for the lunch.”

“Anytime.” Bridget gave her one last smile, and headed back to her office.

********

The afternoon had gone by quickly, and Bridget was on her way to Vera’s office to make sure she was going to eat supper with them. She knew her friend would probably try to make some excuse to stay late or head right home to start on her paperwork, but the blonde had decided that she wasn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer. Vera was clearly stressed out about work, and upset about whatever was going on with Jake.

The governor’s office door was open when she arrived, so she stuck her head inside. “You ready?”

“Um…”

Bridget sensed there was a ‘no’ coming her way. “Come on, pack up. Did you decide what you wanted to order?” The blonde had emailed the menu from the restaurant she’d chosen earlier in the afternoon.

Vera sighed. “Yeah, I’ll have the Pad Thai. And here.” She came around from behind her desk and handed her friend some money.

“Don’t be silly, Vera.” Bridget handed it back to her. “I’ll see you at the Centre soon.”

********

When Bridget arrived at the Centre, Emily and Franky were just finishing cleaning up from the last class of the afternoon.

“Hey guys.” The blonde placed their food on the table, and went over to the prep counter. She gave each of them a kiss on the cheek.

“Hey, babe.” Franky turned her head to give Bridget a kiss as Emily wrapped her arms around her aunt’s waist.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I asked Vera to join us for supper. She’s been really stressed lately, and I thought it would be nice.”

“I don’t mind.” The brunette gave her girlfriend a smile. “Do you want to eat here or outside?”

“Let’s go outside. I’ve been in my office all day.” Bridget took her phone from her pocket. “I’ll let Vera know where we’ll be.”

They had just finished unpacking the food, and Emily was still climbing on the play structures when Vera arrived.

“Hey, Gov.” Franky greeted the governor. She could tell right away that Bridget hadn’t been exaggerating when she said her friend was stressed. The brunette put her arm around Vera’s shoulder, and pulled the smaller woman into her side. “You alright?”

Vera nodded. “Yes. Thank you.”

“This is yours.” Bridget set a container down on the table that contained Vera’s Pad Thai, then turned her attention to her niece. “Em, come sit. We’re ready to eat.”

“I got to try some of your soup and homemade mayo today. They were both delicious,” the governor said as she sat down at the picnic table.

“Oh, I’m glad you liked them. I can give you the recipe or make a batch for you.” Franky knew Vera probably wouldn’t confide in her about anything that was causing her stress, that was more Bridget’s thing, but she figured maybe by making Vera some meals, she at least wouldn’t have to worry about that part of her day.

“Maybe you could show me how to make them sometime? I can’t just keep asking you to make me food.” Vera took a mouthful of her supper, and reached over to help Emily open her container of food.

“Ah, why not? That’s what I do.” Bridget was hoping a joke would lighten her friend’s mood. “Franky’s very generous like that.”

“I was pretty generous this morning, wasn’t I? I made you lunch, I made you -“

“Franky,” Bridget said in a warning tone.

“An omelette….for breakfast.” The brunette looked at her girlfriend with one raised eyebrow. “What did you think I was going to say?” Franky had a smug grin on her face as she glanced from the blonde to Vera.

“Uh, nothing.” Bridget stirred the food in her container before taking a large forkful.

The brunette leaned over and gave her a kiss on the temple before she turned her attention to her own meal.

“So Em, Vera has asked if you’d like to spend the weekend with her, what do you say?” Bridget smiled as she watched the excited look appear on the young girl’s face.

“Can we play the new card game Auntie Bridge taught me?” Vera nodded. “And can we watch Frozen again?”

“Sure.” Vera gave a small laugh, and nodded again.

“I think that’s a ‘yes’.” The blonde smiled again.

They all talked while they ate, and when they had finished, Franky excused herself to go get things set up for the evening class. Emily had made her way back over to the small playground, while Bridget and Vera cleaned up the garbage from their meal.

“Do you know what your plans are for Christmas?” Bridget asked her friend as she gathered their empty food containers.

“Uh, I’m not really sure yet. Maybe spend some time with Jake.” Vera said, returning from her trip to the garbage can.

“Well, if you like, you’re more than welcome to spend it with us.” Bridget had stopped cleaning up, and waited for Vera’s response.

“Oh, I couldn’t, I mean it’s your first Christmas with her and Em. I don’t want to barge in on that.” The governor gave the blonde an awkward smile. While what she had just told Bridget was the truth, it wasn’t the only reason she felt like it should be a time just for their family. As far as she knew, she was the only one that Franky had told about the proposal.

“You’re not, I’m inviting you. I’ve already talked about it with Franky. In fact, she was the one who asked what you usually did for Christmas.” Bridget walked over to Vera, and rested her hand on her friend’s arm. “If you want to spend it with us, then you’re more than welcome. Just be prepared to eat. Franky is already picking out all the food she wants to make.” The blonde gave her a smile, which Vera half-heartedly returned. Bridget pulled her close, sensing that her friend could use a hug.

“I will let you know for sure soon, but it would be lovely to spend the holiday with you guys.” Vera was truly touched, not only by Bridget’s invitation, but also by the fact that Franky had thought of her, and wanted her there given what her plans were.

“I really do hope you’ll be there. Liz is coming too, and spending Christmas Eve night. There’s plenty of room if you want to do that as well.”

Vera thought for a moment. Her choice was between spending the holidays with someone she’d only been dating a few months, and was already having some doubts about, or spending them with her best friend’s family. There was no choice. She realized that Jake may be upset, but the fact that that didn’t bother her, made her realize even more where she belonged.

“I’ll be there.” Vera had made up her mind.

“Really? You don’t want to check with Jake?” Bridget was surprised at Vera’s sudden decision.

The governor shook her head. “Nah, I’d rather be with you guys.”

“Aw, that’s great! Franky and Em will be excited.” The blonde had finished cleaning up the last of the trash. “I should head inside now, the class is starting soon. Try to get some sleep tonight, okay?” Vera nodded, and Bridget gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before she called out to Emily that it was time to head inside.

When they arrived in the classroom, Franky was in her office putting on her chef’s jacket. Emily grabbed an apron, and headed to pick out the station that her and her Aunt would be working at.

“You look good, baby.” Bridget wrapped her arms around the brunette from behind.

“The jacket really works for you, huh?” Franky said with a small chuckle.

“Mmm, yeah pretty much.” She stepped around the younger woman so they were now face to face.

“You gonna be too distracted to pay attention to what I’m saying tonight?” The brunette let her hands rest on Bridget’s hips, and applied a slight pressure with her thumbs as she moved them across the blonde’s sensitive area. Even through the fabric, Franky still got a reaction.

“I’ll try to behave.” Bridget gave her a quick kiss then turned and headed for the office door.

“No fun in that, Gidge.” Franky finished buttoning her jacket.

When Franky made her way out to the classroom, a few of the students were already there. Franky recognized the young girl, who had told her the day that she went to pick Emily up early, that she and her mother had signed up for this class. When the girl saw her, she gave the brunette a quick wave, which Franky returned. Bridget caught the interaction, and smiled.

Out of the corner of her eye, the blonde saw someone walk up to the workstation beside her and Emily. She looked up to see a man about her age, with dark hair and brown eyes, who was nicely dressed. He was there with a young girl who she guessed was close to Emily’s age.

“Hi, I’m Richard.” He held out his hand to Bridget. “This is Mia,” he said nodding towards the young girl beside him.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Bridget, and this is Emily.” The blonde gave him a smile, and shook his hand.

“I’m not much of a cook, but Mia here really wanted us to take this class together, so I thought hey why not, right?” Richard gave a small chuckle.

“I’m not much of a cook either. Em here is better than me. Maybe they’ll be the ones helping us instead of the other way around, yeah?” Bridget laughed at her own joke.

“Most likely.” She glanced over again to see Richard smiling at her.

“Okay everyone, if I could have your attention.” Franky was standing at the front of the classroom, ready to start her lesson.

This was the first time that Bridget was seeing the brunette in action. She had seen her with Emily of course, and had shown up at the very end of a couple classes to pick up her niece, but Franky had been done the actual teaching part by that point. She liked seeing this side of her girlfriend. She was confident, and in control of the room. Bridget remembered back to the first time she’d met her, then their first kiss here in this room. She shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts. She needed to pay attention to what her girlfriend was saying. If she screwed this up because she was too distracted to follow the directions, Franky would never let her live it down.

“Tonight we’ll be making something that can be either a snack or dessert; oatmeal chocolate chip snack cakes. I have a list here of what we’ll be making each week, and there’s a copy for everyone, so be sure to pick one up on your way out.” The brunette pointed to the stack of papers on the end of the counter. “Some nights we’ll make something smaller like this, and some nights we’ll be making a main course dish. On those nights, maybe you want to skip supper at home and eat here instead. Okay, so first things first, before we start with any of the ingredients, we need to preheat the oven, and get the baking pan ready.”

Franky went on to explain how to mix the dry and wet ingredients separately, then slowly mix them together. Overall, she had picked a fairly easy recipe for the first night. After she had finished her demo, she walked around the classroom, answering questions and giving advice.

When the brunette passed Bridget and Emily’s workstation, she gave the blonde’s hand a squeeze as she walked by. Bridget grinned. It reminded her of something that would happen in a forbidden relationship where the two people had to rely on sly, secret gestures such as that, even though there was nothing secret or forbidden about her relationship with Franky.

Once they had their creations in the ovens, they all set about cleaning up their stations. The timing worked out almost perfectly, as most of them were just finishing tidying up when their timers signalled that their food was ready. Bridget watched as Emily checked theirs with a cake tester to make sure that it was fully cooked in the middle, then helped her lift the pan onto the counter to cool for a couple minutes.

“Looks like we survived week one,” Richard said as he placed the squares into the small cardboard boxes that Franky had handed out to everyone.

“Barely,” Bridget said jokingly. “Actually, Em loves to cook. I signed her up for Franky’s class in the spring and she really took to it, so I decided to surprise her by signing us both up for this one.”

“She seems like a good teacher, and the kids all love her.” He nodded to the front of the room, where some of the kids were handing Franky samples of their cakes for her to taste and critique, and of course she said they were all excellent.

“Yeah, she’s good with them.”

“Well, I think we’re all packed up. Same time next week?” Richard smiled at her.

“We’ll be here, right Em?” Emily nodded as she ate one of the treats they’d made.

They said their goodbyes, and waited while the rest of the class made their way out.

“You guys ready to head home, too?” Franky asked as she hung up her jacket and got her bag from the office.

“Definitely. It’s been a long day.” Bridget signed.

“Alright, let’s go.” Franky turned off the lights on the way out, and closed the door behind them.

********

After they had put Emily to bed, they both decided they were ready to call it a night themselves. Bridget felt Franky stretch out her muscles, as she laid down beside her.

“I ate way too many pieces of those cakes, Gidge.” Franky pushed on her stomach. “Look, you can feel how full I am.”

Bridget laughed. “Baby, don’t do that, it’ll make you feel worse if you keep pushing on it. Why did you eat so many?”

Franky sighed. “I would have felt bad saying ‘no’, or trying some, and not the others, so I just ate whatever they handed me.”

“Aw, such a softie,” Bridget teased, and Franky gave her a sideways glance. “It’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s something I love about you.” The blonde reached over and placed her hand on the younger woman’s cheek, so that she turned her head to face her. Bridget stretched up to connect their lips, and repositioned herself so she was laying more against Franky’s side.

“Please don’t lay on me, babe. I mean, any other time yeah, but not tonight.” The brunette mumbled against the older woman’s lips.

Bridget smiled. “I’m not going to.”

“Good, cause I might throw up on you if you did.” Franky connected their lips again in a small kiss.

“That would be grounds for a break up I think.” Bridget laughed a bit and heard the brunette do the same.

The blonde reached down and slid her hand under Franky’s shirt. She let her fingers trail up and down over the younger woman’s soft skin.

“How does that feel? Any better?” Bridget asked quietly.

“Yeah, a bit.”

“Okay, good.” The blonde continued her motions, with her and Franky sharing a small kiss every so often. In reality, Bridget knew what she was doing was nothing more than creating a distraction for her girlfriend to take her mind off how full she was feeling, but as long as it worked, she didn’t care. She just wanted Franky to feel better enough to be able to get to sleep.

After a while, she could tell the brunette’s breathing had slowed, and when she placed a kiss on Franky’s lips, it wasn’t returned. She had fallen asleep. Bridget smiled and cuddled in close to her girlfriend’s side. She left her hand resting on Franky’s stomach, just in case the younger woman could somehow sense that it was still there, and closed her eyes.


	47. Chapter 47

“Do you have everything packed, love?” Bridget asked, as she entered Emily’s room. After they ate breakfast, she had sent her niece to finish packing whatever she wanted to take with her to Vera’s for the weekend.

“Yeah, I got everything,” Emily said, closing the zipper on her bag.

“Did you remember your cards so you and Vera can play some games?” Emily nodded, and Bridget glanced towards the bookcase where the cards were clearly visible, sitting on the shelf. “Are you sure?”

Emily followed her aunt’s cue, and saw them still on the shelf. “Oops.” She smiled, and reached up for them.

“Okay, go get washed up. Vera will be here soon.” The blonde watched her niece leave the room, and once she heard the bathroom door close, she quietly unzipped her bag, and did a quick check to make sure she did actually have everything she needed.

“I’m going to miss you and Franky,” Emily said, as they all sat on the couch, waiting for Vera to arrive. She had called a few minutes earlier to say that she was leaving her house.

“I know, love. It’s only one night though, and we’ll be here when you come back tomorrow.” Bridget put her arm around the girl while they sat and waited.

“What will you guys do while I’m gone?” the young girl asked.

Out of the corner of her eye, Bridget saw Franky smirk. “Probably nothing much different than what we do when you’re here. Maybe we’ll watch a movie or something tonight,” the blonde answered. She didn’t want Emily to feel like she was going to miss out on something fun. In reality, as soon as the young girl left with Vera, she and Franky were going out to buy her Christmas presents. After that, they probably would end up just watching a movie, but they would also enjoy having the whole evening to themselves.

It wasn’t long before the front door opened, and Vera called out to them as she entered the house.

“Hey, Em. Hey, guys,” the governor greeted them as she came around the corner. “All ready?”

“Yeah!” Emily got up off the couch and gave Franky a hug and kiss goodbye before doing the same with her aunt.

“If you need anything, just give us a call, okay?” Bridget handed the young girl’s bag to her friend.

“I’m sure we’ll be fine.” Vera smiled at her. “I’ll call tomorrow before I drop her off though. Probably after lunch if that’s okay?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.” Bridget lowered her voice a bit. “We’re planning to head out this afternoon, but other than that we’ll be here.”

Vera nodded, and Bridget gave her a kiss on the cheek goodbye.

“What are you doing?” the blonde asked as she sat down beside Franky on the couch. Bridget tried to see what was on the screen of the brunette’s phone, but she quickly turned it away.

“Something for later.” Franky winked at her.

Bridget laughed. “Let’s shower so we can go shopping.” She took the brunette’s hand and stood up, leading her towards the bathroom.

********

“So where are we headed first, baby?” Bridget asked. She glanced at the brunette in the passenger’s seat and saw her scrolling through a list on her phone.

“I think I can get everything at the mall.” Franky said as she continued to scroll.

“You’re not getting all of those things, right?”

“No, they’re just ideas. Stuff for Em, Liz, and Vera.” The brunette put her phone back in her pocket. “I’ll narrow it down to two, maybe three things for her.”

“Good, because remember we decided that we weren’t buying a crazy amount for anyone.” Bridget checked behind her as she changed lanes.

“Yeah, I know.” Franky agreed, but the blonde wasn’t entirely convinced that her girlfriend would follow the rules.

When they arrived at the mall, the brunette took Bridget’s hand. “I want to check out the store with all the kitchen stuff first, if that’s okay?”

The blonde laughed. Franky was already leading them in that direction anyway. “Yeah, it’s fine, baby.”

In just a few minutes, the pair found themselves wandering around the kitchen store. Bridget had no idea what half of the stuff was for, but Franky seemed to be seriously considering buying most of it. Eventually they found themselves in the ‘Junior Chefs’ section. The blonde knew now why they were there. She watched Franky. It seemed like she knew exactly what she wanted, and Bridget knew she wouldn’t settle until she found it.

“Ah, here they are.” Franky pulled gently on the blonde’s hand to get her to follow. “I want to get this for Em, but I wanted to make sure you were okay with it first.” The brunette picked up the demo item from the display and unrolled it.

Bridget looked at the knife set on the table in front of her.

“It’s a set for kids. See how the handles are smaller so they’ll fit her hand better? And the blades are a bit smaller too so they’re not as heavy. They’re sharp though, but that’s actually safer than using a dull knife.” Franky had laid out her reasoning all in one breath. She knew it may be something that Bridget wasn’t on board with. She watched the blonde as she studied the box she had picked up off the shelf. “I know it says for ages eight and up, but I think she can handle it.”

“You think she’ll be able to handle them safely?” Bridget glanced up at Franky, and the brunette nodded. “Okay, I trust your judgement.” She saw a big smile come across her girlfriend’s face. “But there has to be rules.”

“Yeah, yeah sure.” Franky would agree to anything. She really wanted to get these for Emily.

“I don’t want her using these unless you or I are there with her. And if she does anything unsafe after you’ve told her not to, then there has to be consequences.”

“Deal!” Franky grabbed the box that Bridget was still holding. “Aw, Gidge, she’s gonna love these.”

The blonde let out a small laugh. “Yeah, she will. Let’s go pay.”

“Have you decided what you want to get her?” the brunette asked when they had left the store, and were walking through the mall again.

“Yeah, actually. I was thinking of maybe getting her some kind of art set. She’s always drawing, and she likes Bea’s class, and besides, she needs some new markers and stuff anyway. There’s also some type of doll she wants. I’d never heard of it before, but I wrote down in my phone what it was called when she pointed out the ad on tv one day. Maybe something else small like a book or a game.” She looked over and Franky was once again looking through the list on her phone. “Just the knife set, yeah? It was kind of expensive.”

“Nah, I’ll get her one more thing. What do you think about a Lego set?” Franky had spotted the toy store up ahead. “They probably have the doll you’re looking for too,” she said, pointing to the window display.

“I think Lego hurts when you step on them in your bare feet.” Bridget gave a small laugh as she followed the brunette into the store.

Once they were inside, they went their separate ways. Franky went off in search of the Lego sets, and Bridget went looking for the dolls. After a minute, the blonde had found what she was looking for, and after carefully comparing it to the notes on her phone, she decided she had the right one, and went to find her girlfriend.

“Franky, baby, no.” She had come around the corner to see the brunette studying a huge box. Bridget reached out and turned it so she could see what was written on the front of it. “The Ghostbusters Firehouse, ages sixteen and up. Over four thousand pieces?! She’ll never be able to put this together.”

“Uh, actually, that one was a personal interest,” Franky said shyly, as she put it back on the shelf. “I’m getting this for her.” She held up a yellow bucket of assorted bricks that would let Emily decide what she wanted to make.

“Oh, well, okay that looks like fun.” Bridget reached out for it. “Here, I’ll carry it up front for you.”

After the toy store, they had browsed through the rest of the mall, and Bridget had also picked up an art set, and a book that explained how to play a bunch of card games for younger kids. They had also each picked up gifts for Liz and Vera.

“Seems like we kind of missed lunch, what do you think about an early supper?” Franky asked as she checked the time on her phone.

“That sounds amazing. I’m ready to get out of here.” Bridget was someone who enjoyed shopping, but not during the holidays when there were far too many people in the stores. She had found everything she was looking for, and was more than ready to head home and spend the rest of the day with the brunette.

“What are you in the mood for? Do you want me to cook something?” Franky was tired and ready to get out of there as well, but she’d never say no to cooking Bridget whatever she wanted.

Bridget stopped walking and turned to face the brunette. “You know what I’m in the mood for?”

“Uh, what?” Franky glanced around them and saw all the people. Normally she’d have made a comment, but there were too many people and young kids around.

“Pizza and beer, on the couch, in our pyjamas.” Bridget smiled up at the brunette. “Does that fit with your plans?”

“Just when I thought I couldn’t love you any more.” Franky lowered her head and gave the blonde a quick kiss. “I can work with that.”

********

Bridget was still changing out of her clothes and into her pyjamas while Franky was getting everything set up in the living room. The brunette placed the pizza box on the coffee table, and opened a beer for each of them. When the blonde walked into the kitchen, Franky did a double take.

“I thought we said pyjamas, Gidge.” While Franky had opted for shorts and a singlet, Bridget was wearing just a pair of underwear and an oversized t-shirt.

“This is what I wear to bed sometimes,” the blonde said, giving her girlfriend a small smile.

“Fair point.” Franky picked up the beers, and made her way to the couch. “You can pick whatever you want to watch.” The brunette handed Bridget the remote as she sat down.

They sat quietly as they ate, and when they’d finished, the blonde put the leftover pizza in the fridge, and grabbed them each another beer. While she was in the kitchen, Franky moved so that she was half laying down, propped up against the pillows on one end of the couch. When Bridget returned, she patted the space on the couch between her legs, indicating for the blonde to sit there, and lean back against her, effectively using the brunette as a human pillow.

Franky let her arm rest around Bridget, and lazily moved her fingers over the blonde’s stomach and side as they watched the movie. Every once in a while she felt Bridget sigh. The brunette lifted her hand and let her fingers trail across the older woman’s shoulder. When Franky reached the base of Bridget’s neck, she turned her hand and let the backs of her fingers brush lightly over the side of it.

Bridget closed her eyes, and let the brunette linger there for a while before she reached up, and took Franky’s hand in her own. She brought it to her lips, and placed a kiss on the younger woman’s fingertips, then placed it back on her stomach.

After a moment, the brunette felt Bridget shift, as she repositioned herself to lay on her side against Franky. The blonde reached up and placed a hand on her girlfriend’s cheek as she gave her a long, slow kiss.

Bridget smiled as their lips parted. “Is this part of your secret plans for tonight, baby?”

“No,” Franky said, running her hand down the blonde’s back. “I just like touching you.”

“I like it, too.” Bridget kissed her again.

“What I had planned for tonight, was this.” The brunette stretched her arm toward the coffee table to reach her phone. She found what she was looking for, and handed the phone to Bridget.

The blonde scrolled through the screen and gave a small laugh. “Is this like truth or dare or something?”

“Nah, no dares, just questions. Some are flirty, some are dirty.” She winked at the older woman. “And some are just random. So, you in?”

“Sure.” Bridget chuckled as she gave Franky another kiss. “One rule though.” The brunette nodded. “Anything you ask, you have to be prepared to answer too, if the other person so chooses.”

Franky laughed. “Alright, seems fair. You go first.”

Bridget looked at the list for a moment before she chose. “We already know a lot about each other, so I have to find something good. Ah, okay here’s one. Where is your favourite spot to be kissed? I mean, I know what you like, but what’s your absolute favourite?”

“My neck. You remember the Halloween party?” Bridget gave a smirk in response, and Franky continued. “Yeah, what you did then felt amazing.”

“I think it was something like this.” She turned the brunette’s head to the side, and placed her lips on the soft skin under her ear.

Bridget let her lips caress Franky’s neck as she slowly worked her way down the side. She heard the brunette take in a sharp breath as she nipped at her skin then soothed it with her tongue. When she reached the base of the younger woman’s neck, she reached up and tangled her hand in Franky’s hair, pulling gently to force her to tip her head back.

Franky let out a groan as she felt Bridget pull on her hair, and let her head fall back. As the blonde moved her lips across the front of her girlfriend’s neck, Franky felt her shift her weight on top of her, so that she could proceed up the opposite side. The brunette ran her hands down Bridget’s sides and let them come to rest on her hips. She dug her fingertips into the older woman’s skin when she felt the blonde swirl her tongue in the hollow between her collarbones. As Bridget worked her way up the other side of her neck, Franky let her hands move down and around the older woman’s thighs.

Bridget took in a shaky breath as she felt the brunette’s fingertips slide over the backs of her legs then brush against the sensitive skin on her inner thigh. “Fuck, baby.”

Franky smiled as the blonde continued her way up the side of her neck. Bridget ended with a small kiss on her girlfriend’s jaw, then pulled back to look at the brunette with a grin on her face.

Franky took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yeah, it was something like that.” She reached over and took a mouthful of her beer as the blonde moved to lay at her side again. “Okay, my turn.” She held out her hand, and Bridget handed her the phone. “Alright, have you ever had a threesome?”

“Yes.” Bridget gave a small laugh as she studied the look on Franky’s face. “Weren’t expecting that answer?”

“Uh, not exactly,” Franky said, now with a half grin on her face. She let her eyes scan over as much of Bridget’s body as she could see in their current position. “I think I might need some details on that.”

“There’s not much to tell really.” Bridget shrugged. “I was twenty, in uni, and I was kind of seeing this guy at the time. One night, after enough alcohol, he and I and one of my friends decided it would be fun to try. It was mostly just awkward, and looking back, I was probably more into my friend than I was him, even though I wouldn’t admit that to myself until a couple years later.” She reached out for Franky’s phone.

“Not going to ask me?” the brunette asked, handing her mobile over.

“Nah, I assume you have since you joked with Vera at the Halloween party that it wouldn’t be your first threesome,” Bridget replied, looking for another question.

“Ah, fair enough. I forgot about that.”

“Hmm, here’s something we haven’t really talked about. Do you like dirty talk?” Bridget knew this wasn’t something Franky had ever really done with her, but that didn’t mean she didn’t like it.

“No.” Franky studied the blonde’s face. The brunette felt like she had more to say, but didn’t know how.

“Why not?” Bridget asked quietly.

Franky sighed while she gathered her thoughts. “I just remember how sometimes when I was living on the streets, and the guys I sold to, or even just random guys sometimes would say shit to me like that. I remember how it made me feel, and I don’t want to make anyone feel that way. I know some people like it, or get off on it or whatever, but to me it just feels gross and tainted. Even when I was just having one night stands with random women, I still wanted them to walk away feeling good, you know? I still respected them. And now with you, no, I definitely don’t like the idea of it.”

Bridget stretched up and gave the brunette a tender kiss. “I was just expecting you to say it wasn’t your thing, but…” she didn’t finish her sentence, just shook her head.

Franky gave a small smile. “I made it serious.” She picked up her phone. “Okay, back to the flirty and the dirty. If I ever caught you masturbating, would you stop, or would you finish?”

“Baby, you’ve seen me do it.” Bridget laughed.

“Yeah, but that was you choosing to show me. This is asking, if I caught you, what would you do?” The brunette had to admit that the thought of that situation actually turned her on quite a bit.

“That depends.” The blonde smirked.

“On what?”

“What you wanted.” Bridget held Franky’s stare. “If you wanted to watch, I’d finish and let you watch. Or, you know, if you wanted to take over and finish it yourself, that would work too.” She saw the brunette’s eyes flick down to her lips.

“It would be hard to just watch.” Franky felt the blonde’s body move against her, and a small smile formed on her girlfriend’s lips. “Your turn.”

It only took Bridget a second to find her next question. “What’s your favourite toy?”

“You know what it is.” The blonde remained silent, and Franky knew she was going to make her say it. “The strap on you bought on your birthday.”

“You like using it on me.” Bridget gave her a slow kiss.

“I liked it just as much when you used it on me.” The brunette mumbled against the older woman’s lips.

“Noted.” The blonde gave a small laugh.

“Ooo, this is a good one.” Franky gave Bridget a cheeky smile. “If we were out to dinner, and I said I wanted to have sex right now, what would you do?”

“I’d tell you to lead the way, baby.” The blonde connected their lips again.

“Really?” The brunette mumbled. “Even if it was a super fancy place?”

“Mhm.” Bridget gave Franky’s lip a small bite as she pulled away. “In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’d rarely say ‘no’ to you.”

The brunette let out a small moan as she felt the older woman shift against her again, causing some friction between her legs.

“What was your best orgasm ever?” Bridget read with a smirk on her face. She laid the phone down beside them again. “I won’t be offended if it wasn’t with me, promise.”

“Oh, it was with you for sure.” Franky laughed. “The night in the conjugal room in Wentworth. The second time you made me come. Whatever you did was crazy.”

The blonde laughed. “I think it was just an emotional night. I didn’t really do anything special, but I’m glad it worked for you.”

“It definitely did.” The brunette smiled as Bridget leaned in to give her another kiss. Franky felt for the phone beside her, as the blonde let her lips move along the younger woman’s jaw. “Fuck.” Franky struggled to focus on the writing in front of her. “Have you ever read erotic fiction?”

Bridget let out a small laugh as she settled back in beside the brunette. She knew where the night would most likely end up, but she wasn’t ready to get there quite yet. She was enjoying learning about her girlfriend. “Yeah, of course. I was single for periods of my life. A girl’s gotta do what she’s gotta do, right?”

“So you’re not a one-night stand type?” Franky studied her for a moment.

“No. I’m not saying I’ve never done it, but it always felt kind of empty to me afterwards. Like the idea of it was better than the actual thing.” Bridget’s hand found the edge of the brunette’s singlet, and worked its way underneath.

“But you said you would have let me fuck you in the classroom that day if Em hadn’t been in my office.”

“Mhm.” The blonde thought for a moment. “I never once thought that you’d only be a one night stand.” She felt Franky’s arm tighten a bit around her. “Okay, I’ll let you have that one as a bonus question. Pick another one from the list.”

“Hmm. Hot showers, or bubble baths?” The brunette had a bit of an ulterior motive behind her question. She was hoping that maybe she’d discover a new activity they could do together depending on how Bridget answered.

“I assume you mean with someone.”

Franky nodded.

“Well, I have to say that I love our showers together, and I’m very glad you let me help you when you were hurt so that you realized that you like them too.” The blonde let her fingers trail up the younger woman’s stomach, and up between her breasts. She felt Franky’s breathing pick up. “There’s something about a bath though. It’s less rushed, it’s more relaxed. You can really take your time. So both have their benefits.” Bridget could feel the brunette’s eyes on her; moving down her body. She lifted her head slightly to see the screen of the phone. “What would you like to do more of in bed?” She was curious just for curiosity sake, but also because if there was something Franky wanted, then she’d gladly try to give it to her.

“Nothing.” The brunette shook her head. “I’m happy with everything. What about you?” Franky knew it was silly, but she had a moment of nervousness. What if there was something Bridget had been missing all this time, and she hadn’t picked up on it.

“I’m happy, too, baby.” The blonde connected their lips, and let her hand move to Franky’s breast. She felt the younger woman’s hardened nipple against her palm as she gave it a light squeeze. Bridget felt the brunette nudge the side of her hip, urging her to move on top of her again. “I think you like me on top,” she whispered next to Franky’s ear, as she rocked her hips against the younger woman.

“I like you anywhere,” Franky groaned.

“What colour underwear are you wearing?” Bridget smirked. It was time to move things along.

“Why don’t you check for yourself?” The brunette gave her a cocky grin and bit her bottom lip.

Bridget narrowed her eyes at Franky as she moved her hand down her girlfriend’s stomach. When she reached the elastic band of the brunette’s shorts, she searched the other piece of fabric but felt nothing.

Franky knew what Bridget was looking for, and she also knew that she wouldn’t find it.

“You’re not wearing any,” the blonde concluded. Franky’s grin grew even wider. “But, I mean, I have to be thorough, right?” She pushed her fingers further into the brunette’s shorts until they brushed over the other woman’s clit and found the wetness that had gathered between her folds. The younger woman’s eyes fluttered closed for a second. It was Bridget’s turn to sport a cocky grin on her face. “You’re so wet,” she said letting her fingers glide lightly back and forth over Franky’s clit.

The brunette let out a soft moan. “Do you not remember what you did to me when we first started this?” Franky gave a small laugh. “And I bet…” she trailed off as she slipped her fingers under the fabric of the blonde’s underwear. “…you are too.” She smiled when her fingers found Bridget in the same state.

The blonde smiled as she reached down and removed Franky’s hand from her underwear. She wanted to tease the brunette for a few minutes, and she knew she’d get too distracted if she let the younger woman continue to touch her.

“Hey.” Bridget whispered, pulling Franky’s attention back to her voice as she continued to slowly move her fingers. “Your turn.”

The brunette took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She willed herself to focus on the list in front of her, but Bridget wasn’t making it easy. “Do you prefer morning sex, or nighttime sex?”

“Nighttime,” Bridget said, kissing her softly. “I like falling asleep with you afterwards. I like how you hold me.” She heard a soft moan come from Franky’s lips, and applied a bit more pressure with her fingers. The brunette’s breathing picked up. “Ready for your next question?”

Franky let out another moan, and shook her head.

“It feels good, yeah?” Bridget didn’t expect an answer as she lowered her head and placed kisses along the brunette’s jaw until she got to her ear. “Since you don’t want a question, how about I just tell you something instead?”

“Mmm, okay.” Franky ran her hands up the blonde’s sides underneath her shirt.

“But, you’re not allowed to come while I’m telling it.” It was Bridget’s turn to wear a smirk on her face.

Franky’s green eyes locked with her girlfriend’s blue ones, and they had an understanding. “Challenge accepted.”

Bridget’s smirk turned to a smile as she leaned in and softly kissed the brunette’s lips. She slowed the pace of her fingers slightly. She may have told the younger woman it was a challenge, but the blonde was on her side. She wanted Franky to be able to hold on for as long as possible. Bridget leaned in next to the brunette’s ear again, and placed a small kiss on her cheek. She felt Franky’s hands under her shirt, moving across her back as she started to speak.

“You brought up our first kiss earlier, so let’s talk about that. You know, I thought about you a lot after that first time I met you. I mean a lot. I thought about how it would feel to have your body pressed against mine; what you’d feel like on top of me...or under. I thought about how soft your lips looked, and imagined what they’d feel like against mine, and against my skin.” She nipped at the younger woman’s earlobe. “I wondered how you’d touch me, and what your fingers would feel like inside me. So I fucked myself and pretended it was you. Thinking about you always made it hard to make it last. It just felt so good.” She heard a soft moan leave the brunette’s lips when her finger passed over a particularly sensitive spot, so she lingered there, slowly sliding it back and forth as she continued. “And then that night when you kissed me…” The blonde took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “That was quite a kiss. I remember feeling your lips, and then the way you held me was the perfect combination of strong and gentle. You had one arm around my back, and you played with my hair with the other hand. I was so turned on, but I also felt loved, and safe.” Bridget lifted her head, and gave Franky a long, deep kiss. She heard the younger woman’s breath hitch as their lips separated.

“I love you,” Franky murmured.

“I love you, too, baby.” Bridget placed a kiss on the side of the brunette’s neck. “After a few seconds of that kiss though, I just wanted you to fuck me.” The blonde let her fingers slide further down over the other woman’s folds, and Franky let out another moan. “I like hearing that.” Bridget smiled against the brunette’s neck. “I thought about what would have happened if we hadn’t stopped that night. I had this vision of you just picking me up, sitting me on the counter, and fucking me.” As she finished her sentence, she let two of her fingers slide easily deep inside Franky. “Just like you did here after that day at the park.” She nipped at the skin at the base of the brunette’s neck, and felt the younger woman’s right hand ball into a fist against her back, and then slowly stretch back out, fingers flexing against her skin. Bridget felt Franky’s muscles flutter around her fingers as she set a slow pace, letting her thumb brush over the younger woman’s clit.

“You’re pretty close to winning this challenge, Gidge,” Franky said, grinding onto Bridget’s fingers.

“I just have one more thing to tell you.”

“Mmm.” Franky half moaned, half answered.

“I still want you to do that to me.” Bridget saw the brunette’s eyes flick briefly towards the kitchen. “Not here. In your classroom.” The blonde gently nipped at Franky’s earlobe, and felt her start to clamp down on her fingers. “Not yet, baby.” Bridget gave her a small kiss on the lips as she slowly removed her hand from the other woman’s shorts.

“Gidge, wha-?” Franky barely had time to think before she felt the blonde move down her body.

Bridget pushed up the brunette’s shirt so she could leave a trail of kisses down her stomach. She vaguely registered Franky reaching down, pulling off her own shirt over her head, and discarding it somewhere behind the couch in the direction of the dining room.

The brunette felt Bridget hook her fingers in each side of her shorts, and pull them off over her feet. Seconds later, she felt the blonde’s warm mouth on her, slowly sucking and licking.

“Ah! Fuck.” Franky had been close a moment ago, and it felt like it was picking up almost where it had left off.

She gripped the edge of the cushions with one hand, and placed the other on the back of Bridget’s head. The brunette closed her eyes, and let her head fall back against the pillow. A second later, she felt a pinch on her hip, and lifted her head to look down to make eye contact with the blonde. She was able to hold her gaze for a few seconds until she let her eyes close again. She felt another pinch on her hip, and looked down to make eye contact with Bridget again. Now she understood. The blonde wanted her to watch.

She held eye contact as best she could, but the combination of watching her girlfriend between her legs, and feeling her warm tongue caress her clit, was making it hard. Franky moved her hand from the back of the blonde’s head to the back of the couch. She could feel her grip tightening on the cushion underneath her and her girlfriend’s hair, and she didn’t want to hurt Bridget.

She let out another moan. “Gidge…” The brunette was breathing hard now. “I’m-“ Franky didn’t even get to finish her sentence before her eyes slammed shut and her orgasm hit her hard.

The brunette felt wave after wave wash through her, as Bridget kept up her pace. Gradually, the blonde slowed her movements, and after the final couple of small tremors ran through the younger woman’s body, she moved back up to be face to face with her girlfriend.

Bridget placed a few small kisses on Franky’s neck while the brunette worked to regulate her breathing again. When the blonde lifted her head, she was met with Franky’s sleepy gaze.

“How was that, baby?” Bridget asked quietly as she gave the brunette a small kiss.

Franky just shook her head and smiled. “I like dominant Gidge. You should let her out more often.”

Bridget laughed as the younger woman pulled her in for another kiss. They kissed lazily for another minute or so before the blonde spoke.

“I do have one final question that I saw on the list earlier.” Bridget had a cheeky smile on her face.

“Oh yeah? And what would that be?” Franky asked, as she ran her fingers over the blonde’s back.

“Do you think you can take off my underwear without using your hands?”

Franky’s cocky grin returned as she deftly flipped them over, and pushed her hips down into Bridget’s, causing the blonde’s eyes to flutter shut for a second. The brunette moved against her a couple more times before she began to make her way down the older woman’s body. Bridget rid herself of her shirt, as soon as Franky had moved far enough down, and she watched as the brunette moved to her left hip. Franky took the fabric between her teeth, as the blonde raised her hips slightly, and pulled it partway down over the blonde’s thigh. She made her way to the right side, leaving small kisses and bites along the way, and repeated her actions. This time however, she continued down Bridget’s leg until the blonde was able to free one foot, and let her underwear drop off the other leg over the edge of the couch and onto the floor.

Franky started at her knee, and worked her way slowly up. She sucked and bit at the skin on the blonde’s inner thigh, knowing there would be marks there tomorrow. She lingered there for a couple minutes before continuing on her way to where she knew the older woman wanted her.

Bridget had no sooner felt the brunette’s tongue on her small bundle of nerves, and she could already tell that feeling was building in her stomach. It never did take long with Franky, but this time she could tell it would take even less. Her teasing of the brunette had gotten to her as well, not to mention the friction she had felt periodically as the younger woman moved against her. She felt Franky’s fingers slide into her, and let out a small groan.

The brunette ran her free hand over the outside of Bridget’s thigh, up her side, and came to rest on the blonde’s breast. She massaged it gently and ran her fingers over the hardened nipple. Bridget let out a shaky breath as she pushed herself against Franky’s mouth.

“That feels so good, baby,” The blonde could feel her muscles tightening, and knew that the younger woman could sense the same.

A few seconds later, Bridget’s orgasm washed over her. Franky stayed with her as the blonde’s body shook, and she moaned quietly. When the brunette sensed that the other woman’s body was starting to calm, she quickly replaced her mouth with her thumb and moved up to give the blonde a deep kiss. The movements of Franky’s fingers had never stopped and when another wave of pleasure ripped through Bridget, she wasn’t sure if it was a second orgasm, or just a second wave from the first one.

This time the brunette slowed her pace, as the older woman’s body began to calm. Franky kissed her again softly on the lips, then her cheek, then the spot under her ear that she liked.

They laid in the quiet for a couple moments, just listening to each other breathe and start to relax. Bridget wiggled her toes and gave a small laugh.

Franky glanced down, then looked back to the blonde. “What’s wrong, babe?”

Bridget shook her head, still smiling. “Nothing. You made my toes tingle.”

The brunette kissed her again slowly, as she ran her hand down Bridget’s side and leg, encouraging her to hook it around the younger woman’s hip. The blonde easily found herself lost in Franky’s kiss again. When they broke the kiss, Bridget rested her palm against the brunette’s cheek.

Franky was the one to break the silence. “We should get up, before we end up here all night.”

“It’s still early, baby.” The blonde gave her a small kiss. “How about we pick up our clothes, take a nice warm shower together, then finish off those last two beers while we watch another movie before bed?”

“Sounds perfect.” Franky gave her a kiss as she stood up.

Bridget took their empty bottles over to the sink, as the brunette gathered their clothes from around the room.

Franky was following behind the blonde on her way to put their clothes in the laundry hamper in the bedroom. “Hey, Gidge?” The brunette asked, as the other woman entered the bathroom.

Bridget stuck her head back out the door. “Yeah?”

“Did you mean what you said about still wanting the whole classroom fantasy?”

A small smile appeared on the blonde’s face, and she gave Franky a wink as she continued into the bathroom.

The brunette gave a small chuckle as she threw the clothes in the hamper. “I can make that happen,” she mumbled to herself. She heard the water turn on in the shower, and made her way to the bathroom.


	48. Chapter 48

The summer was passing by quickly, and it was the final week of classes at the Centre before the break for Christmas and New Years. Franky was in her classroom prepping for her class that evening with Bridget and Emily. It would be the third session, and tonight they were making a meal that they’d all be able to sit down and eat together: tacos.

“Hey, love.” Liz entered the classroom to find the brunette prepping trays of ingredients that would be placed at each workstation. She leaned against the counter across from Franky.

“Hey, you going to join us for supper tonight?” The brunette looked up to see Liz shake her head. She could tell that this wasn’t just a social visit, and the other woman had something on her mind. “What’s going on?”

Liz sighed. “I got a call from Jillian this afternoon.”

“Yeah?” Franky didn’t look up this time, but just kept working.

“She said you haven’t gotten back to her yet, and it’s been almost a month.” Liz waited a few seconds, and got no response from the brunette. “Franky?”

“I know,” she said letting a chunk of cheese drop onto one of the trays. “I know.”

“Have you thought about it at all?” Liz didn’t want to push the brunette in either direction, but she wanted to make sure she had at least thought about the opportunity, and what it could mean. If Franky decided in the end that she didn’t want to do another show, that was fine, but Liz didn’t want her to have any regrets just because she was avoiding dealing with it at all.

“A bit.” Franky sighed. “Not really, no.”

“Did you talk to Bridget?” Liz knew that if anyone could talk the younger woman through this, it was her girlfriend.

“I mentioned it to her that first night after the producer came here to talk to me.” Franky began placing fresh veggies on the trays to be chopped up and used for toppings.

“What did she say?”

“She said she’d support me either way, and that I’m not that angry person anymore like I was back then.” Franky knew that Bridget was right, she just needed to trust herself that she wouldn’t go back there again no matter what happened.

“Wise words.” Liz walked around the counter and gave Franky a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Have another talk with her, okay? Then call Jillian, even if the answer is ‘no’.” The brunette nodded. “I’m always here too, love, if you ever need anything.”

“Thanks, Liz.” Franky gave her a small smile, and Liz turned to leave and go back to her office. “Hey, wait a second.” The brunette had just remembered she had something she’d wanted to tell the other woman.

“Yeah?” Liz turned, and came back to stand beside her.

“About Christmas, besides us being family, there’s another reason I wanted you to be there with us this year.” Franky was surprised she was a bit nervous right now, and she didn’t know why. “I’m going to propose to Bridget.”

“Oh, love!” The tears started to form in Liz’s eyes. “I’m so happy for you.” She reached out to give the brunette another hug.

“Thanks, Liz,” Franky smiled, returning the other woman’s hug.

“Have you bought the ring yet?” Liz asked, stepping back.

“Yeah, I’ve had it for awhile. Here, look.” The brunette pulled her phone out of her pocket and found the picture she’d taken of the ring.

“That’s beautiful! She’s going to love it.” She smiled up at Franky.

“I hope so.” The brunette took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“She will. I’m so proud of you.” Liz held Franky’s gaze, and the two exchanged another smile. “I’ll let you finish getting ready for your class.” She gave the brunette a squeeze on her arm, and turned again to leave.

********

Bridget was the first to arrive, and was greeted by Emily as soon as she walked through the door.

“Auntie Bridge!” Emily ran up and gave her aunt a hug.

“Hey, love. How was your day?” Bridget bent down and gave the young girl a kiss on the cheek.

“It was good! We learned about the solar system and we made a model.” Emily talked excitedly.

“Oh, that will go nicely with your room.” The blonde stood, and turned her attention to Franky. “Hey, baby.” She smiled and gave the brunette a small kiss.

“Hey.” Franky smiled and felt herself relax. She’d felt a bit tense ever since her talk with Liz.

Bridget studied the brunette’s face for a few seconds. “You alright?” Franky nodded.

“Auntie Bridge! I want to show you my model. It’s just in the classroom down the hall,” the young girl called from the doorway.

“Just a minute, love.” The blonde turned her attention back to the younger woman. “Are you sure, baby?”

“Auntie Bridge!”

Franky glanced behind Bridget to where Emily was still impatiently waiting for her. “Liz said the TV producer called her again looking for my answer. We can talk about it later. I’m okay. Promise.” She gave the blonde a quick kiss, and felt her rub her back.

“Okay,” Bridget said quietly. She turned to Emily. “Alright, let’s see this solar system of yours!”

“Can I hang it up in my room?” The young girl took the blonde’s hand and led her to the science classroom.

“Yeah, sure. We can do it on the weekend.”

Franky heard Emily still talking as she led Bridget down the hall, and smiled to herself. The young girl’s excitement had been growing over the past week, but especially since she and Bridget had told her that they could decorate the house this weekend and make their Christmas cookies.

It wasn’t long after they had left when the other people started showing up for class. Franky went to the walk-in fridge and got the cart she had loaded earlier with the prepped trays. As she placed one on each station, she said hello to the kids and their parents.

The brunette was at the front getting ready to start the class when Emily and Bridget returned and took their spot next to Richard and Mia.

“Hey, I thought maybe you guys weren’t here this week.” Richard greeted them warmly.

“Oh, nah, we wouldn’t miss it. Em just wanted to show me something she made in one of her other classes today.” The blonde smiled down at her niece.

“It’s a solar system model! We’re going to hang it in my room tomorrow!” Emily peeked around Bridget to tell the man and his daughter what she’d made.

“Alright everyone! So tonight we’re making tacos!” Franky was up at the front of the class, and had everyone’s undivided attention.

“My favourite!” one of the children in the back said.

“Awesome!” Franky gave them a thumbs up and continued. “So the first thing you want to do is to cook the ground beef. While that’s cooking, you can prepare the spice mixture. As you can see, on the tray there are small jars of spices. They’re not pre-measured. Don’t make that mistake.” She smiled and a few of the kids and adults laughed at her joke. “If you’d like yours to be a bit more on the spicy side, there’s some optional ingredients there you can add in. So let’s get started!” She made her way around the classroom as everyone began cooking.

“So what do you think Em? Spicy or not spicy?” Bridget figured her niece would choose spicy. She had always thought that most kids didn’t care for spicy foods, but it seemed like Emily almost preferred them.

“Spicy!” Emily handed the blonde the recipe.

“Ooo, okay, so we have to add some extra chilli powder, and some hot sauce.” Bridget located the extra ingredients on their tray and set them aside for Emily to measure out.

“You guys are making the spicy version, I see,” Franky said as she walked up beside their workstation.

“Yeah, I let Em choose.”

“Good choice. I like the spicy ones too.” The brunette winked as she moved on to Richard and Mia. “How about you? Which one did you choose?”

It wasn’t long before they were ready to sit down and eat. Emily sat beside Bridget, while Mia and Richard sat to Bridget’s left. After a moment, the blonde noticed the two young girls trying to talk to each other.

“Mia, why don’t you switch seats with me? It’ll make it easier for you to talk with Em.” Bridget quickly switched chairs with her, and smiled as she sat down beside Richard. “Hope you don’t mind being stuck beside me,” she said as she gave a small laugh.

“Not at all.” Richard smiled. As Bridget reached for her glass of water, he discretely looked at her left hand and took note that she wasn’t wearing a ring. “I bet Emily is excited about the holidays.”

“Oh yeah, she’s had a lot of extra energy this week.” The blonde laughed. “How about Mia, you guys all ready?”

“Yeah, I think so. She’s been pretty excited too.” He glanced behind Bridget to see the two girls talking while they ate. “They seem to get along well.”

The blonde looked behind her. “A budding friendship, I’d say.” She turned back to Richard. “That’s great though. Em is usually so shy.”

“Mia’s the same way.” He took a deep breath. “Maybe they could get together sometime over the holiday break. If you guys don’t have a lot of plans made already.”

“Oh, nah just Christmas Day and maybe New Years. Other than that I don’t think we have any plans.” Bridget smiled thinking of the first Christmas she was going to get to spend with Franky and Emily.

“Great!” Richard took a drink of his water.

After everyone had finished eating, they went back to their stations to clean up before they headed home for the night. Bridget was helping Emily put their clean pans and utensils away when she noticed that Richard and Mia were almost ready to leave.

“Oh, Richard, I almost forgot!” Bridget tore a scrap of paper off the recipe sheet that had been handed out at the beginning of class. “Do you have a pen on you?” The blonde had asked Richard, but Franky had heard her, and as she was walked by, she laid one on the countertop. “Oh, thanks.” The brunette gave her a small smile. Bridget scribbled something on the paper, and handed it to him. “Here’s my number. In case Mia wants to make a playdate during the break.”

“Oh! Right, yeah.” He folded the piece of paper and put it in his pocket. “Thanks.”

“No problem. Have a good holiday, okay?” Bridget smiled, and gave his arm a squeeze as she turned to go back to finish up with Emily.

“Thanks, you too,” he said as she walked away

She looked back and gave him another smile.

It wasn’t long before everyone had left, and Franky was finishing up what she needed to do before she could leave as well.

“Thanks for this,” Bridget said, as she slid the brunette’s pen back into the pocket of her chef’s jacket. “I think Em is making a friend.” The blonde spoke quietly, as the young girl was in Franky’s office, and she didn’t want her to overhear them talking about her.

“Oh really? That’s great!” The brunette thought for a moment. “The girl you switched spots with when we were eating?”

Bridget nodded. “Mia. Her dad says she’s really shy as well. They seem to get along though. He suggested that maybe they could have a playdate over the holidays so I gave him my number so we could set it up if everything works out. I didn’t mention it to Em though. I don’t want her to be disappointed if it doesn’t happen.”

“Well hopefully it does. That would be really good for her.” Franky finished putting away the last of the clean dishes. “Ready for home?”

“Always.” The blonde gave her a small kiss.

********

“Alright Em, I’ll take your lunch bag and empty out the dirty dishes, you go have your shower and put your pyjamas on.” Franky took the bag from the young girl.

“I want to stay out here and sit with you and Auntie Bridge.” Emily gave Franky her puppy dog eyes. It was something she’d only started recently, but she’d learned quickly they were very effective.

“You know the deal. After the late class you have to get ready for bed when we get home, then you can spend a bit of time with us. It’s a long day, and everyone is tired. If we let you wait, you won’t want to do it.” Franky was good with Emily, but she was new with having to be firm with her. She was thankful that the young girl didn’t push it any further, and simply turned and went to her room.

The brunette entered the kitchen, and began to clean out the girl’s lunch bag. She reached out for Bridget’s when she had finished. “I can do yours too, babe.”

The blonde heard the water turn on in the shower. “You handled that well,” she said as she gave Franky a kiss on the cheek.

“I just don’t like having to do it.” The brunette set the empty lunch bags back on the counter.

“I know. She’s usually a good kid. A really good kid. We’re lucky. But every kid from time to time needs some discipline. I don’t think any parent enjoys that part.” Bridget studied Franky’s face for a moment. “You alright?”

“Yeah. Just getting used to this new bit, I guess.” The brunette gave her a small smile.

“Okay.” She gave Franky another kiss on the cheek. “I’m going to go change out of these clothes.”

Bridget and the brunette were sitting on the couch, when they heard Emily call out from her bedroom.

“Auntie Bridge!”

The blonde looked at Franky, then got up and made her way to her niece’s bedroom.

“Yeah, love?” Bridget stood in the doorway and saw that Emily was still wearing her bathrobe.

“Where are my dinosaur pyjamas?”

“They’re in the laundry. Remember? You spilled juice on them this morning.” Bridget walked over to Emily’s dresser and opened one of the drawers. “Do you want the polka-dot ones, the star ones, or the pink ones?”

“Dinosaur ones!” The young girl raised her voice.

“Em. Come here.” Bridget crouched down so that she was eye level with Emily. “If you pick out a pair of pyjamas right now and put them on, then you can come out with us for a few minutes. If you argue any more, then you’re going to bed right now with no story.”

“I want the dinosaur ones!” The tears started down her cheeks.

The blonde reached out and wiped them away with the backs of her fingers. She reached in the drawer and took out a pair of the girl’s underwear. “Alright. Put these on.” She waited while the young girl put them on. “And these.” Bridget held out a pair of pyjamas.

“No! Not those ones!”

“Last chance to pick something from the drawer then.” Bridget waited while Emily looked in the drawer. “It’s either one of these pairs or nothing.” Emily shook her head. “Okay, get in bed.”

Emily looked at her with big eyes. “But I don’t have any pyjamas on.”

“That was your choice. You didn’t want to wear any of them.” The blonde hated seeing her cry, but she knew the girl had to learn that she needed to listen to what they told her to do.

After a moment, when Emily realized that Bridget wasn’t going to change her mind, she crawled into her bed. Bridget pulled the blankets over her.

“I’m cold,” the young girl said quietly.

The blonde took the extra blanket that was at the end of the bed, and covered her with that as well.

“I’ll leave these here. If you’re still cold, put them on. Goodnight, love.” She placed the pyjamas on the end of the bed, and gave Emily a kiss on the forehead.

“No story?”

Bridget shook her head. “Not tonight.” She wiped the final few tears from the young girl’s cheek. She made sure the fairy lights were turned on before she turned off the ceiling light, and closed the door quietly.

Franky was watching her from the couch as she returned to the living room. “What was that about?”

Bridget shrugged. “She wanted her dinosaur pyjamas and I said no because they’re in the laundry.”

“That’s all? She sounded really upset.”

“I think it’s just the excitement of Christmas combined with the long day. She’s tired.” The blonde sat down beside Franky and cuddled into her side. She immediately felt the brunette’s arm around her.

“Tomorrow is a big day,” Franky said quietly.

“I know.” Bridget smiled. “We’re getting the tree, and starting to decorate. Then making cookies on the weekend. I’m excited.” The blonde was lucky enough to have the holidays off. Of course, she was on-call if anything major happened, but the other psych who looked after the women in the protection unit was there to handle pretty much anything else.

It wasn’t long before Franky and Bridget had decided they were tired after the long day as well, and called it a night. As they laid in bed, the blonde could sense that the younger woman’s mind was preoccupied.

“I can feel you thinking.” Bridget pulled Franky closer to her, and gave her a soft kiss.

“I need to give her an answer, and I don’t know what to do.” The brunette sighed as she felt her girlfriend’s fingers on her back.

“What do you want to do?” Bridget asked softly.

“I don’t know.”

“If all that stuff hadn’t happened with Pennisi, what would your answer be?” The blonde studied Franky’s face.

“I would do it.” The brunette answered faster than Bridget had expected.

“I think that should be your answer.”

Franky shook her head. “But those things did happen, and I’m scared they’ll happen again.”

“You’re not the person you were then. You’re more self-aware. You know when someone is trying to push your buttons and you know how to deal with it. You have me, Em, and Liz for support.” Bridget tried to make eye contact with the brunette, but Franky’s gaze was fixed on a point on the blonde’s shoulder. “Hey.” She waited until the younger woman looked at her. “If I didn’t think you could handle this, I wouldn’t encourage it. I would never put you in that situation. I love you too much to do that to you.” She reached out and wiped a tear off Franky’s cheek.

“Okay.” The brunette let out a long breath. “I’ll do it. I’ll call her tomorrow. I want to be clear with her though, that if there’s any shit going on like last time, I’m out. I’m there to cook. That’s all.”

“I think that’s fair.” The blonde gave her a small kiss. “How are you feeling?”

“Nauseous.” Franky gave a small laugh.

“You’re nervous, that’s expected. Come here.” Bridget shifted a bit closer to her, and rested her forehead against the younger woman’s. 

The blonde ran her fingers up the back of Franky’s neck and into her soft hair. She lingered there a moment, then retraced her path, this time, ending between the brunette’s shoulder blades. Bridget repeated her actions a couple of times, as she felt Franky relax.

“How do you do that, Gidge?” the brunette mumbled, her eyes still closed.

“Do what, baby?” Bridget asked softly.

“Make me relax so quickly.” Franky shifted so that she could bury her face in Bridget’s neck, but still allow the blonde access to continue her calming motions.

“I just try things, and pay attention to your reactions. I can tell when you like something. It’s the same as you do with me.” She could feel the brunette’s warm breath on her neck, slowing as Franky relaxed more, and started drifting into sleep.

“Mhm.” The brunette nuzzled in closer. “No one cared enough before to figure it out with me I guess.”

Franky was so close to sleep that Bridget barely understood the last sentence. She didn’t reply, but just held the brunette a bit tighter. It broke her heart that Franky had never had a relationship before this with anyone who took the time to learn what she needed.

********

The next morning, Bridget was the first to wake. Franky still had her head buried in the blonde's neck, in much the same way as when they went to sleep the night before, and she knew it would take great care not to wake her as she got out of bed. Bridget wanted to make a special breakfast for everyone since it was their last day to work before the holidays, and the first day of the Christmas preparation at the house.

The blonde had managed to get out of the bed with Franky stirring only a bit, but then quickly settling back asleep. In their house, waffles were the go-to when they wanted to have something fun and different, so that's what she decided she would make.

It wasn't long before she heard a bedroom door open. She wasn't sure which one it was, but a moment later, Emily appeared in the kitchen. Bridget noticed that she had indeed ended up putting on the pyjamas that the blonde had left on her bed, and she smiled to herself.

"Good morning, love," Bridget greeted her. "Would you like to help me make breakfast?"

"Okay." Emily brought her step stool over to the counter beside her aunt and climbed up on it. "When I grow up I want to be a chef like Franky."

"Yeah? I think you'd be good at that, and you already know you like it." The blonde had to admit that the fact that Emily thought she wanted to be a chef didn't surprise her at all.

"I don't know if I want a girlfriend yet though."

Something about the way the young girl said it so seriously made Bridget have to hold back a laugh. "Well, that's okay. You have lots of time to decide if you want a girlfriend, or a boyfriend, or some people enjoy just being on their own."

Emily was quiet for a moment before she spoke again. "I think I'd like a tattoo though. Franky's are pretty."

"Yeah they are. I remember that was one of the first things you told me about her that day when I came to pick you up." Bridget thought back to when Emily had said that Franky had let someone draw on her arms, and the blonde could only wonder what other artwork was on the younger woman's body.

"Do you have a tattoo?" the young girl asked, as she helped measure out the last of the ingredients.

Bridget glanced over to see Franky walk into the kitchen. The brunette gave her a small smirk as she sat down on one of the stools. "Yeah, I do." The blonde didn't see any point in hiding that fact from her niece.

"Can I see it?" the young girl asked.

Bridget had been expecting that question, and again, felt like it wasn't something she needed to hide. The blonde reached down and pulled the side of her shirt up to expose the kite tattoo on her ribcage.

Emily looked from the tattoo to Franky then back again. "It's like her necklace," she said looking up at her aunt.

"It is. I gave her that, then I got the tattoo. So she's stuck with me forever." Bridget smiled and glanced towards the brunette.

"I'll try to make the best of it." Franky got up and walked around the island, coming to stand beside the blonde. She lowered her head, and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Do you want to help us make breakfast?" Bridget asked the brunette.

"Nah, it looks like you've got it all under control. I'll make your lunch for you though." Franky opened the fridge and searched for the items she needed. It was only the blonde who needed to pack a lunch today. Franky would be done work at noon, then she and Emily would be able to head home.

********

Franky's morning had gone by quickly. She just had one more thing left to do before she headed home for the holidays. She sat in her office with her phone in one hand and Jillian's business card in the other. She took a deep breath as she dialed the number on the card.

It only rang twice before the producer answered. "Hello, Jillian Banks speaking."

"Hi, Jillian. It's Franky." The brunette swallowed, feeling nauseous again.

"Ah, Franky, I was hoping to hear from you soon." Judging from the way their initial meeting had gone, Jillian wasn't at all confident that she'd even hear back from her at all. "Did you have a chance to think about it?"

"I did." Franky took a deep breath. "If I say 'yes', I have some conditions."

"Like what?" Jillian was cautious.

"First of all, if there's any shit like last time with the staff poking contestants until they get a reaction, then I'm out. Right then and there. I'll just walk." The brunette hesitated. "So I'm giving you a tentative 'yes', but right after the holidays, I want a meeting with you, and I want details. Details about the show, the host, what the filming schedule is like. All that stuff."

"Sure, okay. We don't have to finalize anything right away. I actually figured you'd want to speak again, so I allowed for that when I told Liz when I needed to hear from you..." The producer flipped through her schedule. "How about the second of January?"

"Sounds good. I'll see you then." Franky needed to get off the phone.

She needed to get up and walk around and stretch and not think about this anymore right now. She wanted to go home with Emily, and wait for Bridget so that they could get out the decorations and get a tree. She promised herself that she wasn't going to let this be in the back of her mind over the holidays, that she was just going to focus on her family.

She smiled as she thought of what Christmas morning would be like with Bridget, Emily, Liz, and Vera. She couldn't wait to give the blonde her ring, and to be able to share that with the people she cared about.

The brunette could still feel some tension in her back and shoulders, so she closed her eyes and stretched against the wall, reaching for a point high above her head. After a second she felt two small arms wrap around her waist from the side.

“Hey, bub.” Franky reached down and placed her hand on Emily’s head.

“You’re upset.”

The brunette was always surprised at how perceptive the young girl was. She almost never asked how someone was feeling, but rather said it as a statement.

“Not really upset. There’s just something on my mind,” she sighed.

“Are you and Auntie Bridge okay?” Emily asked quietly.

Franky wasn’t sure if the young girl was asking about them individually or their relationship, but either way the answer was the same. “Yeah, we’re good.” The brunette smiled and looked down to see an unsure expression on Emily’s face. Most of the time, the young girl was fine, but every once in a while Franky saw a bit of the fear and anxiety return from those first few nights after her father’s accident.

She led Emily over to sit on the couch. She thought maybe if she explained a bit of what was going on, it would help to ease the small blonde’s mind.

“Remember when I told you that I had to go talk to a counsellor just like you did?” Emily nodded. “The reason I had to go was because I used to be very angry. One time, I had a chance for something really good, and my anger got in the way. I made a mistake and I lost my chance. Now, someone wants to give me a second chance but I’m a bit nervous about it. So that’s what I was thinking about.”

“You don’t get angry anymore. You don’t yell at me or Auntie Bridge.” Emily studied Franky’s face then gave her a small smile.

“Yeah.” The brunette returned her smile. “Alright, let’s get home so we can start the holidays.”

********

Bridget arrived home not long after Franky and Emily had finished eating lunch.

“Hey, babe. You’re home early.” The brunette got up to greet her, and gave her a kiss on the cheek as she took the blonde’s bag from her. “We could have waited to have lunch with you.”

“Ah, no worries. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get away early, so I didn’t say anything this morning. Besides, I ate what you packed for me and it was delicious.” She reached up and cupped Franky’s cheek, giving her a quick kiss. “Oh! Will said he could drop by a bit later with his truck and take us to get the tree. It’s definitely not fitting in either of our cars.”

Franky laughed as she pictured a tree tied to the roof of one of their cars. “Yeah, probably not. That’s nice of him to do that.”

“He’s a good guy.”

All of a sudden, the brunette turned to face Bridget again. “We should set him up with Vera!”

The blonde let out a small laugh. “Okay, there’s two problems with that idea, baby. First of all, Vera is seeing someone. Remember Jake? And second of all, she and Will already know each other. They spend almost every day together. They don’t need to be ‘set up’.” She watched as Franky’s face fell. “I agree with you though. I think they’d be good together, but they also work together and that could get messy. So, I think we shouldn’t get involved.”

“Well, maybe if the Jake thing doesn’t work out, you could just suggest it to her one time. Just put the idea in her head.” The brunette looked at her hopefully.

Bridget narrowed her eyes. “Maybe.”

Franky put her arms around the blonde. “Okay.” She lowered her head and kissed Bridget softly on the lips. “If you show me where the decorations are in the garage, I’ll go bring them in. We probably shouldn’t start baking until this evening after we’ve gotten the tree.”

“Sounds like a plan.” The blonde smiled at her, and held her gaze for a moment before she spoke again. “I’m so happy you’re here.”

Franky smiled back at her. “Me too.”

Bridget took her hand and led her to the garage.

After everything had been brought in, the three of them unpacked the boxes. Among the things that Bridget had gotten from Tim’s house for Emily were some of the decorations that she knew were the girl’s favourites. She had made sure to get anything that said ‘Baby’s First Christmas’, or anything that she knew had been given to her niece by a friend or relative. She had also brought an ornament that was a set of angel chimes. When you lit the candles, the angels flew in a circle and lightly tapped the bells on either side. She remembered how Emily would just sit and watch them go around.

A few hours later, Will showed up at their house.

“Oh, hey, come on in.” Bridget greeted him at the door. “You can head into the living room. We’re just getting the decorations unpacked. Thanks again for helping us out.”

“Ah, no worries.” He gave the blonde a warm smile as he passed by her in the hallway.

“Hey, Will.” Franky looked up from her spot on the floor beside Emily where they were looking through a box of ornaments.

“Franky,” he said, giving her a smile as well. “And this must be Emily.”

The brunette felt the young girl move closer and a small hand grip on to the back of her shirt. Franky put her arm around Emily. “Hey Em, remember I told you about the man who helped me when I was in prison? How he helped keep me safe?” The small blonde gave a nod. “This is him. His name is Will. He’s going to help us bring our Christmas tree home today.”

“You’re tall,” Emily said, her head tilted back to look up at him.

Will smiled. “How about if I sit down over here?” He pointed to a spot on the floor on the opposite side of Franky. Bridget had mentioned before that her niece was shy around new people, and he thought that maybe she found his height a bit intimidating as well. It served him well in the prison, but he didn’t want the young girl to be afraid of him.

Emily watched him closely as he sat down beside Franky and leaned back against the couch.

“You work at the prison with Auntie Bridge?”

“I do,” Will said as he nodded his head. “I’m an officer there. I make sure people stay safe and follow the rules.”

Franky felt Emily’s grip on her shirt loosen. The four of them sat and talked for a few minutes before they decided it was time to go and pick out their tree.

When they got to the tree lot, they hadn’t been walking for long when Bridget noticed that Emily was falling behind them. “Come on, love.” The blonde reached down and took her hand. The place was huge and she didn’t want to risk Emily getting too far behind them or wandering off.

“I’m tired,” Emily said rubbing her eyes as the four of them came to a stop beside a group of trees.

Bridget figured the girl probably didn’t sleep well the night before. She’d made Emily go to bed without her pyjamas or her bedtime story, and she’d been visibly upset when the blonde had left.

“I know, love. We’re going home after this though.” Bridget gave her hand a small squeeze.

Will had overheard Bridget’s conversation with Emily. He thought that maybe he had a solution that would cheer the girl up and at the same time allow Franky and the blonde to pick out their tree.

He walked over beside Bridget. Emily had wandered over to lean against Franky. “I can carry her on my shoulders if she’s tired. If that’s okay. There’s a ways left to walk yet.”

“Yeah, that’s fine. If she’ll let you. Don’t be offended if she says ‘no’ though, you’re still new.” Bridget gave him a small smile.

“Nah, of course not.” Will made his way over to the young girl, and crouched down. He remembered her reaction to his height earlier. “Hey, how would you like me to carry you? I heard you say you were tired. Plus you’ll get to be even taller than me.”

Emily looked at him for a moment then up at Franky and Bridget.

Franky gave a small nod. “It’s up to you, bub.”

“Okay,” Emily said quietly.

Will crouched down a bit further, and the brunette picked up the young girl and set her on his shoulders. He held the bottom half of her legs against either side of his chest.

“Don’t lean back, okay?” Will asked as he stood up.

When he reached his full height, Emily let out a giggle.

“See any good trees way up there?” Bridget asked her niece.

“Over there!” Emily pointed straight ahead of them.

The blonde was glad to see that the young girl’s mood had lightened.

It didn’t take them much longer to find the perfect tree. Bridget had had to talk Franky out of getting one that was so big she was fairly certain that they wouldn’t be able to get it in the house, and in the end they settled on one that was about the same height as the brunette.

********

Will had helped them bring the tree into the house and get it set up. Bridget and Franky thanked him again for all his help, and even Emily gave him a quick hug before he left.

They had planned that evening to decorate the tree, put up the other decorations around the house, and choose which recipe they each wanted to make on the weekend. Franky figured that if they each picked one sweet or dessert to make that would be plenty, and she would handle the main meal on Christmas Day.

It wasn’t long after they’d had their supper though, and Bridget noticed that Emily had fallen fast asleep on the couch. The blonde and Franky had been untangling strands of lights, and had given the young girl a couple boxes of ornaments to go through and pick out the ones she wanted to put on the tree.

“Baby,” Bridget said quietly. When Franky turned her attention to her, the blonde nodded in the direction of her niece who was asleep on the couch.

“She had a big day.” The brunette gave a small smile.

“I’m going to take her to bed.” The blonde stood up and walked to the couch. She carefully picked up the sleeping girl and carried her down the hallway to her bedroom. When she returned, she took her seat again on the floor beside Franky. “You know, it’s been a few years since there was Christmas in this house,” Bridget said, looking around.

“Because you went to Sydney and spent it with Em and her family?” The brunette handed her a string of lights she was finished with and picked up another set to start on.

“Yeah. Even before that though.” Bridget looked at the lights in her hand for a moment before she placed them on the coffee table.

Franky watched the blonde out of the corner of her eye. “What’s going on inside there, babe?”

Bridget shrugged. “Julia wasn’t into holidays. She said she didn’t see the point. After awhile I gave up trying to convince her that we should decorate and enjoy them.”

“And why was Julie so cranky? She’s the ex you told me about?”

The blonde nodded. “Ooo she hated being called ‘Julie’.”

“Good, that’s what I’ll call her then.” Franky plugged in the string of lights to check that all of the bulbs were working. She looked over to see Bridget smiling at her. “What?”

“Nothing.” The blonde gave a small shake of her head.

The younger woman sat the string of lights down on the floor beside her, and leaned back against the couch. “Come here.” She reached out for Bridget’s hand and pulled her onto her lap. “Well this year, we are going to Christmas the fuck out of this place.” She smiled as the blonde threw her head back and laughed. “Did you ever see that movie where the guy puts lights on like every inch of his house? So many that it drains the power from the neighbours houses?”

“Yeah I love that movie.” Bridget gave the brunette a soft kiss and felt Franky pull her a bit closer.

“I say we go for that. Inside and out. We’ll have to wear sunglasses in here so we don’t burn our retinas.” She reached down and picked up the lights again and wrapped the strand around them. “We’ll start with us.” She grabbed another nearby piece of garland and wrapped that around them as well.

The blonde giggled. “Good thing there’s no wrapping paper or bows around here or you’d have me wrapped up like a present.”

Franky pretended to think for a minute. “I think you’d make a pretty good present.”

“You wouldn’t want to re-gift me?” Bridget gave another small laugh.

The brunette shook her head. “No way. I’d keep you forever.” She leaned forward and gave the blonde a soft, slow kiss.

When Franky leaned back against the couch again, Bridget followed, and buried her face in the brunette’s neck. She felt Franky’s hands rub up and down her back. Neither of them knew how long they sat there like that, Franky thinking about the fact that Bridget didn’t seem to have ever had a good Christmas with her ex, and Bridget thinking how happy she was that this year would be different. It wasn’t until Bridget felt herself start to drift off that she broke the silence.

“We should go to bed.” She mumbled against the brunette’s neck. “Before I fall asleep and you have to carry me like I did Em.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time.” Franky let out a small laugh. She reached over and unplugged the lights as Bridget began unwrapping them.

“Sorry, baby.”

“Nah, it’s cute, Gidge.” The brunette gave her a kiss when she stood up. “Let’s go to bed.” Franky took Bridget’s hand and led her to their bedroom. She was looking forward to everything the next week would bring.


	49. Chapter 49

Bridget woke to the feeling of a soft kiss next to her ear.

“It’s Christmas Eve, babe.” Franky whispered quietly.

The blonde stretched as her lips curved into a smile. “Merry Christmas Eve,” she said, giving the younger woman a kiss.”I’ve been good this year, so does that mean I can have my present early?”

“Not a chance.” Franky gave a small laugh. She kissed Bridget again. One of her favourite things about the holidays this year, aside from seeing her girlfriend enjoy the beautifully decorated house and tree, was the fact that they didn’t have to get up and rush to work in the mornings. They were free to be a bit lazy and cuddle and talk.

It was only a few minutes before they heard the doorknob turn slowly. Bridget lifted her head.

“Good morning, love.” The blonde watched as her niece made her way to their bed.

“Can I lay down with you?” Emily’s voice was quiet, and Bridget could sense that there was something on her mind.

“Sure,” the blonde said as she felt Franky shift away from her to make room for the young girl to lay in between them.

Emily settled in, and buried her face into her aunt’s shoulder. Bridget rubbed her back for a moment waiting for the girl to speak. When she didn’t, the blonde glanced up, catching Franky’s eye. The brunette gave a small shrug. As far as she knew, everything was fine when they had gone to bed last night.

“What’s wrong, darling?” Bridget asked quietly.

“Nothing,” came Emily’s muffled reply, followed a few seconds later by, “I don’t know.”

“If you want to tell us something, you can. Sometimes it helps to talk about it.” The blonde wasn’t going to push it much further. She knew that forcing someone to talk when they weren’t ready rarely resulted in a good outcome.

“I’m happy but I’m sad too.”

“Feelings can be confusing sometimes, yeah?” Bridget felt Emily nod against her shoulder. “Would you like to tell us why you’re happy?” She thought maybe starting with a positive emotion might encourage the girl to talk.

“I’m happy because I’m here with you and Franky, and because I like Christmas.” Emily took a shaky breath.

“We’re happy you’re here with us, too.” The blonde gave her a small smile.

Franky reached out and placed her hand on Emily’s shoulder. “I’m excited to spend my first Christmas with you and Auntie.” The brunette didn’t really know what else to say, this was more Bridget’s area of expertise, but she wanted the young girl to know she was still there and listening to what she had to say.

“I’m sad because I miss my mom and dad.” This time, Emily spoke without needing to be prompted. “And because I’m happy.”

Franky gave Bridget a confused look.

The blonde was starting to put the pieces together now. “It’s okay to be sad. I miss them, too. Are you also sad because you think you shouldn’t be happy that you’re here with us instead of with them?” Bridget felt her niece nod. “Love, it’s alright to be happy, it doesn’t mean you miss them any less. They would be glad that you’re somewhere with people you love and who love you. And they would want you to enjoy Christmas.”

“Are you sure?” Emily pulled back a bit from Bridget, and looked first to her aunt, then Franky.

“Yeah, of course.” The blonde gave her a kiss on the forehead.

Franky whispered a quiet “Yeah”. She could see the tears in the young girl’s eyes and it broke her heart.

They laid there in the quiet for a few moments before Bridget broke the silence. “Do you feel a little better?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah, a bit.”

“What would you like for breakfast, bub?” Franky asked. “I’ll make anything you want.”

Bridget smiled because she knew that the brunette would always make Emily anything she asked for anyway, but this was her way of offering some comfort.

The young girl shook her head. ”I’m not hungry.”

“Hmm, I bet I know something that could change your mind.” Franky gave her a smile. “You and Auntie stay here and relax for another little while. You’ll know when it’s ready.” The brunette gave them a wink, and crawled out of bed. She tucked the blankets back in around the young girl before she made her way to the kitchen.

“I like Franky.” Emily said, once the brunette had left the room.

“I know, love. Me too.” Bridget gave her another kiss on her forehead.

They must have drifted back to sleep because the next thing the blonde knew, she was waking up to the smell of cinnamon coming from the kitchen. She felt Emily stir beside her.

“You smell that, love?” The young girl nodded. “I think that’s our cue to get up.”

Bridget and Emily wandered into the kitchen just as Franky was mixing up the icing for the cinnamon buns she’d made.

“There’s my girls!” The brunette greeted them. “Did you get some more sleep?”

“Yeah, how long were we out?” Bridget asked as her and Emily each took a seat on one of the stools at the island.

“About an hour. These are just cool enough to put the icing on.” Franky had set one out for each of them on plates and the rest she’d left on the pan. Emily watched as the brunette drizzled icing over their three first. “You want to take these over to the table and I’ll be right there?”

The young girl grabbed hers and Franky’s plates and headed to the table, while Bridget followed with her own. It had already been set with glasses of juice poured for each of them, and cups of coffee for the blonde and Franky.

On her way to the table, the brunette picked up the angel chime ornament that sat on the end table by the couch. Every evening since they had decorated, Emily had asked for the candles on it to be lit, and she’d sit and watch it, usually from her spot on Bridget’s lap.

“I think this would make a good centrepiece for today,” Franky said, setting it in the middle of the table. She thought that it would be a nice way to include the memory of Emily’s parents into their holiday. She knew she’d made the right choice when she saw the smile on the young girl’s face as she lit the candles.

After they were done eating, Franky and Bridget cleared the dishes from the table, but Emily stayed in her spot slowly drinking her juice.

“Can we leave this going all day and tomorrow?” the young girl asked as she watched it turn.

“We can leave it for as long as the candles last since we’re going to be home.” Bridget knew they probably wouldn’t even last the day, but there was nowhere to get more now. The shops would be closed for the holiday.

Franky walked over to a drawer in the island, and opened it. “Gidge,” she said just loudly enough that Bridget turned to face her. The brunette held up a package that contained enough candles for two more replacement sets.

Bridget walked over to stand beside her. “I didn’t know we had extra ones.”

“I picked them up the other day when I was out.” Franky put them back in the drawer and closed it.

The blonde smiled at her. “Thank you.” She gave the brunette a small kiss before she went back to cleaning up from their breakfast.

********

They had spent most of the day with Emily helping Franky get food ready to cook for their Christmas Day meals, and Bridget wrapping last minute presents in the bedroom. For supper, the brunette had made her now perfected lasagna. It had been Liz’s request, but Franky thought it was also fitting because it had been the first meal she’d made for Bridget.

Liz arrived as planned about an hour before dinner, and Vera shortly thereafter.

“I didn’t really know what to bring. My go to is wine, but I know you guys don’t have that in the house anymore….” Vera trailed off as she stepped in through the door. She handed Bridget a box of chocolates.

“Thank you, but we told you you didn’t have to bring anything.” The blonde gave her a warm smile. “You can take your bag to Em’s room if you’d like. She’s sleeping in with us tonight,” Bridget added when she saw the questioning look on her friend’s face.

“Oh, I can just sleep on the couch. I don’t want to put her out of her bed.”

The blonde shook her head. “If memory serves me correctly, she likes to try to sneak out early to see if Santa has been here yet. At least this way we’ll know if she wakes up.”

Vera gave a small laugh. “Yeah, she tried that last year, I think.”

“Yeah. I only caught her because I was on my way to the bathroom.” Bridget smiled at her friend. They had some good memories from the past couple of Christmases they’d spent in Sydney. “Anyway, I’ll let you get settled, then I think supper is almost ready.”

Franky was just putting the plates on the table when Vera joined them.

“This looks amazing,” the governor said as she sat down.

“We have lasagna, Italian chopped salad with a vinaigrette dressing, lemon herb steamed cauliflower, and garlic bread.” Franky listed off each dish as she pointed to them on the table before taking her seat.

“Franky, love, this looks delicious,” Liz said as she placed some salad on her plate.

“Yes, and thanks again for having us,” Vera said.

“Of course, you guys are family to us.” Bridget reached over and gave Vera’s hand a small squeeze.

“Oh my god.” Vera closed her eyes as she tasted the first bite of her lasagna. “Seriously? Let me guess, it’s all homemade, the pasta and everything?”

“Mhm.” Franky nodded as she took a bite of her own meal. “The pasta, the sauce, the salad dressing, and the bread.”

“Can I just hire you as my personal chef?”

The brunette laughed. “I think Gidge has claims on that.”

“It’s a perk,” Bridget said with a small laugh.

Once they had finished their meal, they decided to sit in the living room just to chat and spend the evening together.

“I think we should add this to our yearly tradition,” the blonde said, turning on the tv. She found the movie she was looking for and pressed ‘play’. 

The theme song for “Christmas Vacation” began to play, and they all laughed. The brunette caught Bridget’s eye, and they shared a smile. She knew that the blonde had picked this particular movie because of the conversation they’d had the night they were unpacking the decorations. 

“I think we need some hot chocolate to go with the movie,” Franky declared.

“Let me guess, it involves more than just boiling water,” Vera said jokingly to Bridget.

“I heard that!” Franky called out from the kitchen. “There’s no water in my hot chocolate. That’s blasphemous.”

They all watched while Franky created her version of the classic drink. The brunette then placed all the mugs on a tray and made her way back to the living room. She wished them each a Merry Christmas as she handed them out, giving Liz and Emily each a kiss on the cheek, and Bridget a quick one on the lips. When she handed Vera her mug, the governor said a quiet ‘thank you’ and went to take a sip.

“Vera?” Franky was still standing in front of her, and Vera paused with the mug halfway to her mouth and looked up. The brunette leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Merry Christmas.”

Vera smiled and quickly took a sip of her hot chocolate.

Franky settled in beside Bridget with her own mug, and the blonde cuddled in next to her. The younger woman lifted her arm, and wrapped it around her girlfriend. Vera stole a glance, thinking how glad she was that her friend had finally met someone who was good for her, and who treated her well. Liz stole a glance at the couple as well, thinking how far Franky had come since she’d first met her all those years ago when the brunette was still a teenager. She’d had no doubt even back then that Franky could overcome her anger issues, but she wasn’t sure if she’d ever be able to open up and love and trust someone after everything that had happened with her mother and father.

They all watched the movie. Emily seemed to enjoy it too even though she was too young to fully understand some of the humor in it.

“So how did you and Gidge meet?” Franky asked, breaking the silence when the movie ended.

Vera looked over at the brunette. She had been lost in thought watching the angel chimes that were still lit, and now sitting back on the end table in the living room.

“We, uh, we were in the same book club,” Vera said, looking down at the empty mug that was still in her hands. “That was before we worked together.”

“Yeah, that wasn’t yesterday, hey?” Bridget let out a small laugh. “I think I started at Wentworth maybe a month or so after you did.”

“Mhm, it wasn’t very long after.”

“And here we are almost fifteen years later.” The blonde gave her a small wink.

They chatted for another few minutes before Bridget sent Emily to go have her shower. She figured after the big meal they’d just eaten, and the sugar in the hot chocolate, that when the crash came, it would be hard and sudden, and she wanted the young girl to be all ready for bed.

“Anyone want cookies when she gets back?” Franky asked.

They all shook their heads ‘no’.

“Baby, you’re going to have us all feeling like you did that night after your class.” Bridget laughed and gave her a small kiss on the cheek.

“I feel like there’s a story behind that.” Liz leaned forward in anticipation.

“I don’t think we need to hear it,” the brunette said quickly.

Bridget ignored her and started telling the story anyway. “The first night I had the class with Em we made these dessert cakes, and one kid asked Franky to try hers, so she did. Well, then all the other kids wanted her opinion as well, and I bet you ended up eating how many? Like seven or eight?” The blonde looked at Franky for confirmation.

“Probably, yeah.”

“So we get home that night, and she’s laying in bed poking at her stomach, complaining about how full she is.” Bridget gave a small laugh. “And I lay beside her and she says ‘don’t lay on me, babe, or I might throw up on you’. There was a lot of whining.”

“I was seriously uncomfortable!” Even Franky couldn’t help but smile thinking about how silly she probably sounded, considering she’d caused her discomfort entirely by her own choices.

“Then I rubbed your stomach until you fell asleep.”

The brunette heard small giggles come from Vera and Liz. “Gidge! I’ve got a badass reputation to uphold here!”

“Ah love, you may be fooling her,” Liz nodded in Vera’s direction. “But you’re not fooling me.”

“Yeah…” Franky trailed off. There was no point in denying it or trying to make excuses.

They continued telling stories about memories they had with each other until Bridget noticed that Emily was starting to look like she was getting too comfortable on the end of the other couch beside Vera. They had decided that as a treat tonight, she could stay up late with them, but it was time to put her to bed. The blonde caught Franky’s attention and nodded towards the young girl.

“Yeah, it’s almost eleven,” the brunette said glancing at the clock.

“Em, love. Let’s put out a snack for Santa then I think it’s time to head to bed.” Bridget had walked over and put out her hand for Emily to take.

The young girl rubbed her eyes as they walked to the kitchen. Franky joined them, and they let Emily pick out a few cookies to leave, and poured a glass of milk.

“Go brush your teeth, then me and Auntie will be in, okay?” The brunette watched as the young girl walked down the hall and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. “Liz? You know what to do?”

“Ay, love,” Liz said, giving her a wink.

Earlier in the day, Franky and Bridget had stashed Emily’s gifts from Santa in the spare room that Liz would be staying in. Since Emily would be sleeping in their bed that night, they didn’t want to risk having her wake up if one of them tried to leave to put out her presents, so Liz had agreed to set them out after they had taken her to bed.

A minute later the bathroom door opened. “I’m ready,” the young girl said, still rubbing her eyes.

“Alright, bub. We’re coming.” Franky turned back to Liz and Vera. “You guys stay up as long as you like.” She lowered her voice to an almost whisper. “And eat those before you go to bed.” She pointed to the plate of cookies on the island.

Emily and the brunette were settled into bed waiting for Bridget to join them. When the blonde returned from the bathroom, she took something out of a bag that was sitting next to her bedside table.

“I picked up something for us for tonight,” she said as she laid down next to her niece. The blonde rested a book on the blanket in front of the girl. “The Night Before Christmas.” Bridget read the title.

“That’s tonight!” Emily’s eyes lit up.

“Yeah, it is, love. I thought you might enjoy this. My mom used to read this to me and your dad when we were kids.” Bridget smiled as she recalled the memory. “Would you like me to read it to you?”

Emily nodded, and Bridget began. By the end of the book, Franky was fast asleep, and it looked to the blonde like Emily wouldn’t be far behind her. Bridget carefully reached over, and placed the book on her bedside table, and turned off the lamp.

The blonde was almost asleep when Emily spoke. “Auntie Bridge?”

“Mm?”

“How will Santa know where I live now? It’s not where I lived last year.”

Bridget’s mind started searching for a believable answer. “I filled out the paperwork.”

“What does that mean?” It sounded like Emily was starting to wake up, so the blonde knew she had to end this conversation soon.

“When you moved in with us, we had to fill out the ‘Santa Change of Address’ form. It’s all looked after. He knows you live here now, love.”

“Oh. Okay.” Emily settled back into the bed.

********

Franky slowly opened her eyes and looked at the clock on her bedside table. It was only two in the morning. She had to use the washroom, so she carefully slipped out of the bed. When she went into the hallway, she could see a silhouette standing in the dining area looking out into the backyard.

“Vera?” the brunette said as gently as she could. She knew Vera hadn’t heard her approaching, and she didn’t want to scare her. The governor jumped slightly anyway. “Hey, sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. You alright?”

“Yeah, thanks. I just couldn’t sleep. I’m sorry if I woke you.” She turned now to face the brunette.

“Nah, you didn’t. I was on my way to the washroom and saw you out here.”

Vera glanced down the hallway. “Since we’re alone, there’s uh, something I wanted to say. I just wanted to thank you for inviting me. Bridget said it was your suggestion, and I know what you have planned for tomorrow, so it means a lot that you’d want me here for that.”

“Oh, yeah, of course. You’re a friend, and you’re special to Gidge.” Franky watched as Vera gave a small nod. “She told me about Julia after I got out. I’m glad she has you to look out for her too.” Vera nodded again as she looked out over the backyard, and the brunette thought she saw tears in her eyes. “Hey, come here.” She reached out and took Vera in her arms. They stood there for a moment before Franky spoke again. “You okay?” The brunette let go of Vera and took a small step back.

“Yeah, I am.” Vera wiped her eyes. “Are you? Big day tomorrow, or, well, today actually.”

“Nervous, but I’ll be okay.” Franky gave her a small grin. “I’m gonna use the washroom then get back to bed before Em realizes I’m gone and comes looking for me.”

“That could be bad.” Vera returned her grin. “I think I’ll just stay out here another few minutes if that’s alright?”

“Yeah, sure. Whatever you need.” The brunette gave her shoulder a squeeze as she turned to go back down the hallway.

********

“Franky! Auntie Bridge!”

Bridget woke to a hand on her shoulder, shaking her awake. “Mm, what time is it, love?” She could see the morning sun peeking through the curtains.

“Six! Did Santa come? Can we get up now?” The young girl was already up kneeling on the bed, and had pulled the blankets mostly off both of the women.

“He did, love. Why don’t you wake Franky and the others then when everyone is up we can open presents?” Bridget yawned as she sat up on the edge of the bed.

“Franky!”

“Em, I know you’re excited, but be gentle, okay?” the blonde asked as she stood up and made her way to the bedroom door.

She was still trying to get her eyes fully focused as she walked down the hallway. When she reached the living room she saw that Liz had put out the gifts, and that she and Vera had eaten the cookies and drank the milk that had been left out. The first thing she did was to switch on the coffee maker. She had a feeling they’d all be needing at least a couple cups to get through the day.

“Franky!” Emily shook the brunette’s shoulder again. Franky kept her eyes closed but couldn’t help the small grin that appeared on her face. “You’re smiling! You’re awake!” The young girl shook her again.

“Okay, okay, I’m up.” The brunette laughed. “Go wake up the others, alright? And hey, remember our secret, yeah? It’ll be at the very end of the gifts.” Emily nodded, hopped off the bed, and ran into the spare room to wake Liz.

The first thing Franky did once she was out of bed was to retrieve the ring from her hiding spot in the closet. She chose a pair of trackies that were loose enough that she could easily have the small box in her pocket and it wouldn’t be noticeable. She took a deep breath, and went out to the living room.

Liz was already there, and she heard Vera and Emily coming behind her.

“Everyone want coffee?” Bridget asked, getting the mugs out of the cabinet. It was ‘yesses’ all around.

After everyone had gotten their coffee, and was sitting on the couches in the living room, Bridget handed out everyone’s presents. Franky gave her a questioning look when she sat a rather large box in front of the brunette.

“We’ll take turns. Em, you can start,” Franky said as she took a sip of her coffee.

They each took turns opening their gifts once the young girl had finished with everything from Santa. She had gotten some new games, a new pair of pyjamas, some clothes for her dolls, and some candy. Next, Franky opened the set of books from Bridget.

“Gidge! How did you know I wanted to read these?!” The brunette took the plastic wrap off right away and started looking at each of the books.

“Because you mention it every time anyone talks about them.” Bridget gave a small laugh.

Next Bridget opened the bath bombs from Emily. “Ooo these are lovely. Thank you, love.”

Vera picked up an envelope for her that said it was from Franky. When she opened the card, another small card fell out. “Free lunches for a year.”

“For the record, I did that before yesterday,” Franky said as the other woman read the small card. “Gidge told me your lunches leave something to be desired, so from now on, I’ll be sending her with one for you as well. So let me know if she’s keeping both for herself.” Bridget reached over and lightly hit Franky’s arm as she shook her head.

They continued until they were down to the last couple presents. Franky still had the bear Emily had given her sitting on her lap, and Bridget could tell she’d been especially touched by it. The young girl had explained that now they each had a bear that the other had given them.

“Gidge, this is amazing, but really you shouldn’t have,” the brunette said reading the information on the box of cookware.

“I wanted to.” Bridget gave her a small kiss.

The last gift that Emily had left to open was the knife set.

“After you open that, there’s something I need to tell you, okay?” Franky wanted to make sure she knew they weren’t a toy to be played with before they even came out of the box.

Emily nodded and ripped the paper off. “These are like yours!” The young girl looked at her with a huge grin on her face.

“Yeah, almost. They’re a bit smaller and lighter because they’re made especially for younger people. Listen though, there’s some rules, alright?” Franky leaned forward, and made sure that she had Emily’s full attention before she continued. “You can only use them if me or Auntie or Liz are with you, and you have to be careful. If any of us see you doing anything unsafe with them, they’ll be put away until you’re a bit older. And you have to look after them, I’ll teach you how.”

The young girl nodded her head. “Okay. Can I take them to the Centre with me?”

“There’s a bag to carry them in, so yes, but the same rules apply, and they don’t leave the house other than that.” The brunette had a serious face, but inside she was excited over how happy Emily was.

“Okay! Thank you!” Emily gave Franky a hug.

“You’re welcome, bub. We’ll unpack them later and you can use them when you help me make lunch if you want.” Franky gave her a pat on the back. Emily sat back down on the floor, and the brunette turned to Bridget. “I’ve got one more present, but I wanted to save it until last.” She reached over the arm of the sofa and picked up the framed picture she had ordered, and laid it in the blonde’s lap. “Go ahead.”

Bridget tore away the paper to reveal a map of their area of Melbourne. She saw that three locations had been marked, then noticed the coordinates and dates listed at the bottom.

“It’s all our important moments,” Franky said quietly.

“The Centre.” The blonde found the first place on the map, and saw that the date of Emily’s first class had been written beside it.

“Where we first met.”

“Your old apartment.” Bridget ran her fingers over the glass.

“Where we had our first date.” Franky glanced at Liz, who gave her a small smile, as the blonde looked at the final place on the map.

“Our house.” Bridget looked at her and smiled, then looked back to the picture. “That’s today’s date so it’s not for when you moved in. Our first Christmas?”

“Not exactly.” The brunette reached into her pocket. She opened it with one hand, and placed a small kiss next to Bridget’s ear as she set it on the picture in front of the blonde. “Will you marry me?” she asked quietly.

“Oh my god. Franky….” She turned to face her girlfriend. “Yes!” Bridget took Franky’s face in both her hands and kissed her deeply. When the blonde pulled away, she had tears running down her cheeks.

Franky reached up and brushed them away with the backs of her fingers. “I love you, Gidge.”

“I love you, too.” She gave the brunette another kiss.

The brunette took the ring out of the box and placed it on Bridget’s finger. Franky looked around and saw that both Liz and Vera were crying as well.

“Did you know?” The blonde pointed at Liz, who nodded her head. “Did you?” She pointed at Vera next.

“I did.” Vera smiled at her. “She told me the day we had our cooking lesson.”

Bridget looked down at Emily.

“I knew, too!” The young girl blurted out before her aunt had the chance to ask.

“You did!?” Bridget looked at Franky.

“She did. She’s known the longest actually. She helped me pick out the ring.” Franky saw the blonde’s surprised expression. “Remember the day we said we sat around and watched cartoons all day? That was the day we went and bought it.”

“We went out for ice cream, and she asked me if it was okay.”

“Yeah, so actually she knew before we bought the ring.” Franky had momentarily forgotten that she had taken Em out the day before they went shopping.

“You asked her? That’s adorable, baby.” Bridget wiped her cheeks again, and took a deep breath. “This ring is beautiful.”

“I’m glad you like it, babe.” Franky gave her a kiss on the cheek.

The blonde took a deep breath. “Okay. Who wants breakfast?” She was ready for the attention to be turned away from her and the brunette.

********

After they had eaten, Emily asked Franky to play Legos with her. Bridget and Vera stood in the kitchen leaning against the counter, and watched the two of them sitting on the living room floor.

“I can’t believe you knew and didn’t say anything.” Bridget gently elbowed her friend in the arm.

“Come on, like I would ruin a surprise like that.” Vera sipped on her third mug of coffee.

“True.” The blonde watched as Franky helped Emily figure out how to build one of the figures pictured on the box. “I can’t believe I met someone like her.”

“You deserve someone like her.”

“I mean, she’s smart, she’s funny, she’s hot, she’s good at everything. Like…..everything.” Bridget glanced at her friend.

“Yeah, I get it,” Vera said as a slight blush coloured her cheeks.

“And her and Em adore each other. I know that’s a bonus because I didn’t even have Em when we met like I do now, but it’s become so important.” The blonde held her mug with both hands, and continued to watch the two in the living room.

“She’s going to be a great….auntie?” Vera suddenly realized she didn’t know what Em would call Franky.

“She calls her ‘her Franky’. It’s adorable.” Bridget smiled. “Let’s see if they’ll let us play too.”

The blonde and her friend made their way over to the living room to sit with Liz and watch Emily and Franky continue their building. They spent most of the afternoon like this until it was time for Franky to start preparing lunch.

“Em, grab your knife set, and bring it to the kitchen. We’ll have our first lesson,” Franky said as she got up off the floor.

Liz, Vera, and Bridget all sat on the stool on the other side of the island.

“I feel like I’m teaching a class.” Franky gave a small laugh.

“We’re just curious.” Bridget gave her a wink.

“Alright, open it up and let’s see what we’ve got.” Franky waited while the young girl opened the box and pulled out the set of knives that was rolled up in their carrying bag, “Okay, so the first thing is that they don’t get stored in this bag. It’s fine now, because they’ve never been used, but once there’s a chance that there could be moisture on them, it’s not good to store them in here long term. See the magnetic strip on the wall?” The brunette pointed behind her. “That’s where they go. I’ve got another one to put up so there’s room for yours.” Franky picked up one of the knives and unwrapped it. “So the only differences between these and mine are that they’re smaller and lighter, but they’re just as sharp.” She caught the look of surprise on Vera’s face. “Dull knives are actually more dangerous. You need to put more pressure on them which makes them more likely to slip, and if you do knick yourself, there’s more force behind it.” Franky saw the governor’s nod out of the corner of her eye. “First thing, before you start, you should hone your knife. It’s keeps the edge straight, smooth, and sharp.” The brunette took the honer out of the kit and demonstrated how to properly use it. “You’ll need to have them sharpened probably a couple times a year, but doing this each time keeps them sharper for longer. Next, for cutting boards always use wood or plastic, nothing harder or it can damage the edge of the blade, and when you scrape the food off the board, use the back of the knife, never the sharp side. Now, these are carbon steel blades, so you don’t want to leave them dirty or wet for long. So what you do, is take a cloth and get it damp.” She grabbed a dishcloth from the drawer and ran some water over it at the sink. “You put this on the counter beside where you’re working and when you’re done chopping one thing, you wipe each side on the cloth before you go on to the next. Once you’re done with the knives, while your dish is cooking, you need to wash them. Always by hand and with the blade facing away from you, then dry them with a dishtowel. It’s a good idea to put a bit of mineral oil on them to keep them from rusting after each time you use them, then they go right back on the rack. I know it’s a lot to remember but I’ll help you, especially with the honing, and you’re not supposed to be using them without someone here with you anyway, right?” Emily nodded her agreement. “Okay, let’s unpack the rest then we can get to work. I got a lot of stuff ready yesterday, but I saved some of the chopping because I figured you’d want to try these out.” The brunette gave the young girl a wink.

“I knew almost none of that! I feel like I need to sign up for one of your classes.” Vera laughed at herself.

“Why sign up when you can have private lessons for free?” Franky smiled at her, and the other woman shook her head. “Why not? Call it a friends and family discount.”

“I may take you up on that sometime.”

********

The rest of the day passed quickly, and they had their meal of bbq ribs and wings, along with various side dishes. Franky had intentionally cooked way too much food so she was able to send Liz and Vera home with large containers of leftovers.

They had decided that after a busy couple of days, a quiet evening with just the three of them sounded perfect. Franky had made them hot chocolate again and they were all sitting around the coffee table playing with Emily’s lego and watching Christmas movies.

“I do have another surprise,” Bridget said, giving Franky a kiss on the cheek.

“Oh?” The brunette was curious.

“I’ll be right back.” The blonde walked out to the garage and returned with a large box.

“Gidge! No.” Franky shook her head. “We said small gifts for each other, and you already got me too much.”

“Relax, it’s not a Christmas gift. It’s a “just because I wanted to” gift.” She set the box down on the floor.

“This is awesome!” The brunette turned the box around so she could look at the back. It was the Ghostbusters Firehouse Lego set she’d been looking at in the toy store when they were shopping for Emily’s gifts. “But you shouldn’t have. How about we all work on it together?” Franky reasoned that she would feel less guilty about Bridget buying it if it was something they all worked on.

“Sure, baby. Whatever you want.” The blonde sat down beside her again and gave her a small kiss.

It wasn’t very long before Emily was actually asking to go to bed. They had decided that for just one more night they’d let her stay up a bit later with them, but clearly she was tired out from the day’s excitement.

“Alright, bub, go brush your teeth then I’ll come in and read you a story,” Franky said as she tidied up the legos.

The young girl called out that she was ready a few minutes later, and the brunette made her way to her bedroom. It wasn’t long before Franky returned to the kitchen.

“That was fast.” Bridget was just pouring the water into their mugs for a final cup of tea.

“Yeah she was out before I even finished the second page.” The brunette walked up behind the older woman and wrapped her arms around her. She placed a kiss on the side of her neck.

“Hey, future Mrs. Westfall,” Bridget said as she turned and wrapped her arms around Franky’s neck.

“You want me to take your name, huh? Even though I’m the one who proposed?” The brunette gave her a small kiss.

“Names don’t matter to me, I just want to be your wife.” The blonde let her fingers caress the nape of Franky’s neck, bringing a smile to the younger woman’s face.

“Well, we can’t let Em be the only Westfall, right?” She pulled Bridget a bit closer.

“Are you sure?” The blonde had been joking around when she’d brought up the subject, but Franky had turned it into a serious conversation.

“Yeah, I am. I’ve had a long time to think about it.” The younger woman’s eyes fluttered closed for a second as Bridget’s thumb brushed over her lips.

“Me too, baby.” The blonde smiled when Franky gave her a questioning look. “I heard what you said that night we were in the conjugal room in Wentworth. “’I promise I’m going to marry you someday.’ “

The brunette’s eyes widened. “I thought you were asleep.”

“I almost was, but I heard you.” Bridget stretched up and gave her a long slow kiss. “And I’ve been waiting.” She mumbled against the skin of the brunette’s neck, as she left small kisses there. She felt Franky’s hands slip under the fabric of her shirt and roam over her back. “What do you say we call it an early night?”

“Sounds perfect to me.” The brunette held on to her tightly as she walked them slowly down the hall to their bedroom, never breaking their kiss. Franky tightened her arm around the blonde a couple of times when she stumbled a bit from walking backwards. “I got you, babe.” She mumbled against her lips.

“I know.” Came Bridget’s reply without hesitation. She knew Franky had always had her, and always would.


	50. Chapter 50

"What are you reading, baby?" Bridget asked as she sat down next to the brunette. She could see from the look of deep concentration on the younger woman's face that something was troubling her.

"I had Jillian send over a copy of the contract for the show. I wanted to be prepared going into the meeting, and have a chance to talk to you about it." She sighed and set her phone down on the couch beside her.

The blonde gave her a kiss on the temple. "I'm here whenever you want to talk."

"Is Em still in her room?"

"She is. She's building a city with her Lego." Bridget took a sip of her coffee.

"I don't know, Gidge. It just seems like there's a lot I'm not on board with in here." Franky gestured towards her phone.

"Just start at the beginning. We'll get through it." She reached down and gave the brunette's hand a small squeeze.

"Okay." Franky picked up her phone, and scrolled back to the beginning of the document. "Like here, the very first thing: _Contestants are required to live in the on-set dormitories and agree to being recorded at all times. Contestants must also be available for filming on-set at any time._” The brunette was quiet. She could feel Bridget watching her. “I didn’t realize I’d have to live there. It wasn’t like that with the other show I did. I can’t, I just, I don’t want to leave you and Em for that long.” 

“I won’t lie, I wouldn’t like it, but I understand what kind of opportunity this could be. You know I wouldn't tell you that you couldn't, right?" the blonde asked, as she moved in closer to Franky's side.

"I know. I see the look you have on your face right now though, and it makes me sad." The brunette cupped Bridget's cheek in her hand. “Em would be devastated, and on top of everything you’d have to deal with that on your own. I can’t ask you to do that.”

"I’ll be okay. _We’ll_ be okay." The blonde gave a weak smile. She knew that something like this could lead Franky to her dream of owning her own restaurant, and if she had to deal with some temporary unhappiness to make it happen, then she would. “Maybe you can make some kind of deal with her about it?”

"No, it's not happening." Franky shook her head.

Bridget didn’t say anything, but she wasn’t going to let the brunette throw in the towel over this. She knew Franky was worked up right now, so she let it drop for the moment.

The brunette scrolled to the next point she had an issue with. "Look at this one. Contestants must participate in pre and post filming interviews. _Questions may include topics related to the show or the contestant’s personal life/history. Interviews are mandatory and refusal to answer questions on certain topics will result in dismissal from the production._ So does that mean that they can ask me about my mom, my childhood, what happened with Pennisi? I don't want to talk about any of that and have it broadcast to the whole country."

"Baby, look at me." Bridget gave the brunette a small kiss. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to. I've said I'll support you if you want to do this, and I will, but I'll also support you if you don't want to. There are other paths to get where you want to go." The blonde put her arm around Franky's shoulders. "Do you remember what I said that night in bed when you first told me about this?" The brunette nodded her head. "What was it?" Bridget, of course, remembered but she felt like the younger woman needed to say it, so that it would stick in her mind.

"You said that no matter what, in the end, I'll still have you and Em and our life together." Franky closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I just want you to keep that in mind, no matter what." The blonde looked down towards the phone in her fiancée's hand. "Is there more worrying you?" she asked softly.

"Last time they pushed me until they broke me. They knew I had issues, and they exploited them. I'm not that person anymore, and I don't want them to try to make it seem like I am. I don't want them twisting things I do or say to make me look a certain way." The brunette took in a slow, controlled breath. She could feel herself getting emotional, and she knew if she went into the meeting and ended up in tears, then they had won. They would think she was still emotionally weak and volatile. She had to be able to talk about this and come across as strong and confident.

"Why don't you ask if you can see the final edit of each episode before it airs? Then maybe if you see something you don't like, you can ask them to change it."

"Gidge, they're not going to give me that much power. That's like producer-level stuff." Franky tossed her phone onto the couch beside her.

"Hey." Bridget waited until the brunette looked at her. "Just remember, she came to you. Most people are auditioning for a chance to be on the show, and she wants you on it bad enough that she tracked you down and just offered you a spot." The blonde watched her face for a moment. "Ah, there's that annoyingly hot cocky grin." She gave a small giggle.

"Annoyingly hot, cocky grin?" Franky asked, her smile growing, and her confidence starting to return. "Why do you call it that?"

"Because it's a cocky grin, and I find it annoying that I find it hot; that I like it and it turns me on. On anyone else besides you, it would just be annoying." Bridget leaned in and gave her a soft kiss.

"Ah, I see. And when does this usually happen?" The brunette looked from the older woman's eyes, down to her lips and back again. She noticed a slight blush creeping into Bridget's cheeks.

"Mostly when we're in bed, or when you get a good reaction to something you're doing, or when you catch me watching you." She studied Franky's face. "I like it."

"Good." The brunette reached up and cupped Bridget's cheek as she gave her a long, slow kiss. She could feel the blonde settle in closer against her side.

"Auntie Bridge, I need roads."

Bridget opened her eyes to see Emily standing at the end of the couch looking very serious. The blonde cleared her throat. "Roads?"

"For my city. I have the buildings made, and now I need roads." The young girl climbed up on the couch beside Franky.

"You could paint them." The blonde suggested.

"On the floor?" Emily looked at them, confused.

"No!" They both answered in unison.

"I think there's some big sheets of paper left from when we painted your room. Let me check the garage." Bridget got up, and went to check.

"Will you and Auntie Bridge help me?" the small blonde asked Franky.

"Sure, bub."

The blonde returned a minute later, with the roll of paper she had found. "Here, this should work."

"Can we paint it now?" Emily asked excitedly.

"Yeah, let's do it outside on the patio though. I'll get the paint." She handed the paper to Emily.

An hour or so later, Emily had the blueprint of her city completely planned out and painted. The three of them had all worked on it, and the finished product had not only roads, but street signs, lakes, and parks as well.

That evening, as they ate supper, they decided to tell the young girl about the plans they had for New Years Eve. Liz had asked if they would mind Emily spending it with her, and that would leave them free to go out if they’d like. While they didn’t have any big plans, they had decided to invite Vera and Jake over to ring in the year with them and had agreed that Emily would have a fun time with Liz.

“Em, so you know tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, right?” Bridget asked as she ate a mouthful of her supper. Her niece nodded. “Liz has asked if you’d like to spend it with her. Kind of like how you did on Halloween. What do you think?”

Emily’s face lit up. “Liz has good treats, and lots of really old movies!”

“Easy now, those were movies from my youth!” Franky said with mock hurt. The young girl giggled. “How old do you think I am anyway?”

Emily thought for a moment. “Um, forty?”

The brunette’s mouth dropped open, and she heard Bridget trying to suppress her laughter. “Not even close, bub!” Franky said, shaking her head.

The young girl looked at Bridget, then Franky. “How old are you?”

“Twenty nine.” The brunette replied.

“How old are you Auntie Bridge?”

“Forty four.” The blonde glanced up with a small smile on her face. She knew that if Emily thought forty was ‘really old’, then she’d probably seem ancient to her.

“You’re older than Franky.” Emily stated. Bridget nodded her head. “Okay.” The young girl went back to eating. “Are you going to have treats and watch movies too?”

“Something like that, yeah. Vera and one of her friends are going to come over.” The blonde explained.

“I want to see Vera and meet her friend, too.”

“Not this time, love,” Bridget said calmly. She knew Emily had been testing them more lately, and they had to learn to be more firm with her. She knew it was partly their fault, and partly just a normal thing that kids do at her age. She realized that they had probably let her get away with more than they should have because of everything that had happened to bring her into their lives, but now that they had all settled in, they needed to create structure and expectations for her. Emily dropped her fork loudly on her plate. “Enough. Or you’re going to bed early with no story tonight.”

“But Franky said we could play one of the new games I got for Christmas!” The tears had started to form in the young girl’s eyes. She looked to the brunette for help. “Franky?”

“You have to listen to Auntie.” She and Bridget had had a couple of talks about how they wanted to discipline her since the night of the pyjama meltdown. They had agreed on being firm and backing each other up, but also on trying to talk through the girl’s emotions with her after she’d calmed down. While Franky agreed with the blonde, she wasn’t looking forward to the first time that Emily really put up a fight against her.

The young girl said no more. She took a few more bites of her food, with silent tears in her eyes. “Can I go to my room?” she asked quietly.

“You’re done eating?” Bridget asked, and Emily replied with a nod. “Okay then.”

The two women watched while Emily walked down the hallway, and closed her bedroom door behind her. Franky started to get up from the table, but Bridget reached out and placed a hand on her arm.

“Give her some time to calm herself. She did the right thing asking to go so she could be alone instead of continuing,” the blonde said quietly.

“Sorry, I just…” Franky trailed off.

“I know, baby.” Bridget gave her a small smile. “She’s okay, I promise.” Franky nodded, and went back to eating her meal.

When they had finished eating and had cleared away the dishes, Bridget decided to check on the young girl. She quietly opened her bedroom door and saw Emily laying on her bed. She walked over and sat down gently on the edge of the mattress.

“How are you feeling, love?” the blonde asked as she reached down and gently brushed the girl’s long hair away from her face. Emily shrugged. “Anything you want to talk about?” The young girl stayed silent. “Okay.” Bridget gave her a kiss on the temple and stood from the bed.

“Am I still allowed to play a game with you and Franky?” Emily asked quietly as her aunt was walking towards the door.

The blonde turned and retraced the few steps she had taken. She crouched down beside the bed, and placed her hand on her niece’s cheek. “If you feel like coming back out soon, then yes. If not, it’ll be too late to start one, and it’ll have to wait until another night.”

“Okay.”

Bridget gave her a small smile, but it wasn’t returned, so she stood up and made her way to the door once again.

“Is she okay?” Franky asked when Bridget had returned to the living room.

“She’s upset about something.” The blonde sat down beside the younger woman. “I told her to come out when she’s ready.”

********

It was over an hour later when Emily decided to leave her bedroom. Franky was sitting on the couch reading the first Harry Potter book from the set that Bridget had gotten her for Christmas, and Bridget was laying down, propped up against the brunette’s side, playing a puzzle game on her iPad.

The blonde was the first to notice Emily standing where the hallway wall ended, watching them. “Hey, love. Feeling better?”

“A little.” The young girl climbed up on the couch and onto Bridget’s lap where she cuddled into her aunt, and rested her head against her chest.

Bridget set her iPad on the coffee table and wrapped her arms around the young girl. Franky continued reading, but draped her arm over both of them, resting her hand on top of the blonde’s against Emily’s back.

“If there’s anything on your mind, you can tell us.” Bridget whispered quietly.

“I just miss my mom and dad. They’re never coming back.” Emily was crying again, and the blonde could feel her tears against her skin.

“I know you miss them, love. And you’re right, they aren’t coming back, but you have us, and we aren’t going anywhere.” Bridget gave her a kiss on the top of her head. “It’s okay to miss them, and it’s okay to cry and be sad. What’s not okay though, is to hold those feelings in and then act like you did at supper. Okay?”

“Okay. I’m sorry.” The young girl was still crying, but she had calmed some.

“Okay.” The blonde rubbed her back.

“Can I sleep with you guys tonight?” Emily knew the rules they had made about her sleeping with them, but every once in a while she tried her luck and asked.

“No, love. That’s only for a special occasion like what we did on Christmas Eve, or if you’re sick and we need to keep an eye on you.” Bridget explained it the same way every time.

“But I don’t feel good. I’m sick.”

“No, you’re not. You’re upset. It’ll pass.” The blonde glanced at the clock. “It’s getting a bit late. Are you sleepy?”

“A little.” Emily mumbled as she turned her face further in against Bridget.

“How about I put you to bed? You can’t sleep with us, but I’ll read you a story, and lay down with you until you fall asleep. Deal?”

“Yeah.”

It had taken longer than Bridget expected for Emily to fall asleep. It seemed that once the young girl had started to open up, she had a lot of things on her mind. When the blonde had managed to quietly slip out of her niece’s bed, she found that Franky was already tucked into theirs with her book.

“Everything alright?” the brunette asked looking up from her book when she noticed Bridget standing in the doorway.

“Yeah. I’m just going to have a quick shower then I’ll be in.” The blonde pushed herself away from the doorframe and went to the bathroom.

When she returned a few minutes later, Franky closed her book, placed it on her bedside table, and held her arm to the side so the blonde could cuddle in beside her.

“You kept the body wash I said I liked,” the brunette said with a smile. She lazily ran her fingers up and down the arm that Bridget had draped across her stomach.

“Mhm.” The blonde turned her head slightly and left a small kiss on Franky’s shoulder.

“Is she alright?” the younger woman asked quietly.

“She is. She talked some more about her parents after we laid down. I think the holidays and memories of summer vacations are just a bit overwhelming for her right now. It seems like until now she just pushed away thoughts of missing them and focused on the daily distractions she’s had. She needs some coping mechanisms.” Bridget sighed.

“Is that something you can give her?” Franky turned her head and placed a kiss on the blonde’s forehead.

“In theory, yes, but I don’t want to turn into her therapist. I think she’d benefit more from some sessions with Brad. Tonight felt like she just wanted to get things off her chest, and she wanted that physical comfort of being close to someone. I highly doubt she was actually listening to much of what I said. I don’t mind being the one she unpacks her thoughts with, or having a cuddle, and I don’t think you do either.” She saw Franky shake her head out of the corner of her eye. “It just can’t get to the point again of her not wanting us to leave, or wanting to sleep in our bed every night, and she can’t be keeping it in to the point where she acts out before she’s ready to talk.”

“I think it would be good for her to see him again. He helped her a lot the last time.” Franky turned on her side so that she was now face to face with the blonde. “I don’t want to spend a night listening to her cry again though. That was awful.”

Bridget reached up and pushed the brunette’s hair behind her ear then rested her hand on the younger woman’s cheek. “I know, baby. Me either. This is something different though. It’s about getting her to talk, and teaching her how to deal with her emotions before she gets to that point.”

Franky nodded then placed a gentle kiss on the blonde’s lips. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

********

It was just after supper the next day, and Emily had already left for the night. They had eaten their meal early to give Liz and the young girl more time to spend together that evening. Franky and Bridget had told her that it was okay if Emily wanted to stay up until midnight, but they doubted she’d be able to stay awake that late. With her niece gone for the night, she’d lifted the no alcohol rule, and had picked up some wine, and a bottle of champagne for them to share at midnight. Franky was just putting some finishing touches on the plates of snacks and appetizers when the front door opened.

“Hey,” Vera greeted them as she entered the kitchen.

“Hey,” Bridget said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. She looked behind her friend. “Where’s Jake?”

“Oh he’s just finishing up a phone call. His boss won’t leave him alone.” She sat a bag on the kitchen island. “This time I did bring some wine for us.”

“Excellent. I’ll set it over here with the rest.” The blonde took the bottle and placed it on the counter.

They heard the door open again and a few seconds later, Jake joined them in the kitchen.

“Sorry about that.” He gave Vera a kiss on the cheek. “Hey, guys.”

“Is everything okay at work?” the governor asked as she helped carry some plates of food over to the coffee table.

“Uh, not exactly. They need me to come in for the night shift. Someone called in sick and the place has been a bit crazy lately so they can’t work short. I can stay for a couple hours, but then I’ll have to take off. I’m really sorry, babe.” He sat down beside Vera and handed her a glass of wine.

“It’s fine.” Vera gave him a small grin. “It’s not your fault if work needs you.”

“We’ll take good care of her Jakey.” Franky flopped down on the other section of the couch.

“Yeah, you can just spend the night if you want, Vera,” Bridget said from the kitchen where she was pouring wine for her and the brunette.

“Are you sure it’s not too much trouble?” the governor asked.

“Nah, course not! I had the spare room ready for you guys anyway. I figured between the wine and the champagne, no one would be fit to drive by the end of the night.” Bridget made her way over to the couch and sat down beside Franky. “Still want to do the movie? Or we could just chat.”

Vera spoke up. “The movie sounds good.” She looked to Jake for confirmation, and he nodded his head in agreement.

Bridget pressed play, and settled in next to Franky. She leaned against the brunette, so Franky lifted her arm and placed it around the blonde, holding her close. The movie they had chosen was a romcom, and while it wouldn’t have been Franky’s first choice, she didn’t mind watching it if Bridget wanted to.

Every once in a while the blonde would stretch up, and give Franky a small kiss. It probably wasn’t noticeable to anyone else, but the younger woman could feel Bridget’s fingers moving slowly against her side, where her hand rested. The brunette once again caught Vera stealing glances at them the same way she had that night at the bar. The governor never realized she’d been caught, and Franky never called her out on it.

About halfway through the movie, the blonde got up and refilled hers, Franky’s, and Vera’s glasses of wine. Jake had stopped after the first one since he had to work in a few hours.

At one point, Franky reached down and took Bridget’s hand in hers to stop it’s journey across her side. The blonde just smiled up at her before turning her attention back to the movie.

By the time the movie was over, the three women were each into their third glass of wine.

“I hate to run ladies, but if I don’t leave now, I’ll be late for work. Thanks again for the invite.” He smiled at Franky and Bridget. “Let me know if you want me to stop by and pick you up on my way home tomorrow morning.” Vera gave a small nod, as Jake leaned in to give her a kiss. Judging her body language, at the last second, he opted for one on her cheek instead of her lips, then headed out the front door.

Vera watched him go, then turned back just in time to see Franky give Bridget a gentle kiss.

“You know what would be good?” Franky asked no one in particular. She didn’t wait for an answer before she took off down the hall and into their bedroom.

“She’s like a teenager sometimes, hey?” Vera gave a small laugh.

“What do you mean?” Bridget knew that Franky was just a big kid at heart, but she wasn’t sure if her friend was talking about something particular or not.

“She likes to sit close to you while we watched the movie, and is always giving you kisses.”

“Yeah, that’s not just teenage stuff though. I like it, too.” The blonde gave her friend a smile.

“But why? I don’t feel that with Jake.” Vera looked down, slightly embarrassed.

“Ah, well, it’s fun with the right person,” Bridget said with a wink.

“What’s fun with the right person?” Franky reappeared holding what was left of the bottle of tequila from Bridget’s birthday party.

“Baby, no.” The blonde laughed, took the bottle from the younger woman, and set it on the counter behind her. Hopefully out of sight and out of mind. “I was just telling Vera that kissing and stuff is fun with the right person.”

“Well, I don’t know about with just anyone, but I’ve been told it’s fun with me.” Franky’s cocky grin made an appearance as she winked at Vera.

Bridget gave the younger woman a playful nudge with her elbow.

“I think we all need a round of shots. Where’s that tequila I brought out?” the brunette asked, looking for it on the counter. “Ah!” Franky spotted it, half hidden behind Bridget. The brunette reached behind her and grabbed the bottle with one hand, then reached up into the cabinet and found three shot glasses. She lined them up on the island and poured in the tequila.

They drank the first round, and Franky began to pour another.

“This is the last one for me. Okay, baby?” Bridget was already feeling the effects of the wine, and they still had the champagne for midnight, which was now less than an hour away.

“Me too,” Vera said, picking up her glass.

They drank that round, and the brunette filled up her own again.

“I can handle it.” She winked at Bridget when she saw the blonde give her a questioning look.

“We’ll see,” the older woman said with a small laugh.

The time until midnight passed quickly. Bridget handed a glass of champagne to Franky, and she had to admit that the brunette didn’t look all that drunk despite the three shots earlier.

“And in three, two, one! Happy New Year!” they all said in unison, and took a sip of champagne.

Franky gave Bridget a soft kiss, then turned her head to give Vera one on the cheek.

“Wha-” The governor hadn’t been paying attention to her friends, and when she saw something out of the corner of her eye, she turned her head to see what it was.

Vera hadn’t expected that it was the brunette moving in to give her a New Year’s kiss on the cheek, and their lips briefly touched for a couple of seconds before they both pulled away in surprise.

“I, uh…” Vera put her fingers to her lips. “I didn’t mean to…”

“If you wanted a kiss, you could have just asked.” Franky gave her a smile, trying to lighten her mood.

“No, uh, I’m sorry.” She looked at her friend. “Bridget…”

“Don’t worry about it.” The blonde smiled at her.

“Anyone want another before bed?” Franky asked, holding up the bottle of tequila. Both women shook their heads, so she proceeded to pour just one for herself.

Bridget never said a word, but silently placed a glass of water on the counter beside the brunette. When Franky sat down the bottle, the blonde quickly picked it up, and placed it quietly into a nearby cabinet.

They sat in the living room and talked for almost another hour when Bridget noticed the brunette’s eyes starting to close. “Alright, time to call it a night, I think,” she said, patting Franky’s leg.

The blonde made sure all the doors were locked, and turned off the lights in the main part of the house. She then pulled Franky up off the couch and walked with her to their bedroom.

Once they were inside, the brunette gave her a long slow kiss. In the back of Bridget’s mind it registered that Franky was good at this even when she was as drunk as she was. She felt the younger woman reach for the bottom of her shirt.

“Mmm, baby, not tonight. Vera is right next door, and drunk sex is never quiet.” Bridget gave her a smile, then gently took her hand and diverted it away from her shirt.

The brunette smiled back at her. “Come on, I can rock your world, Gidge.”

The blonde let out a laugh. “Okay, but _quietly._” 

“I think the _quiet_ part is up to you,” Franky said with a smug grin on her face.

Bridget shook her head, and gave her a quick kiss. “I’m going to go to the bathroom. I’ll be back in a minute.”

She finished up in the washroom, then went to the kitchen to grab two bottles of water. She figured Franky would be grateful for them in the morning. When she got back to the bedroom, she saw that the brunette was under the covers, and was now quietly snoring. It appeared that she hadn’t even bothered to get undressed. The blonde smiled to herself. Clearly there would be no one ‘rocking her world’ tonight. She crawled into the bed, and Franky stirred slightly, just enough to wrap her arms around Bridget, and pull her close.

“I love you,” Franky mumbled before she drifted off again.

Bridget smiled. “I love you too, baby.”

********

The first thought in Franky’s mind the next morning was pain. Her body hurt, her head hurt, and when she turned over in bed, it felt like the world was moving around her. Bridget was already up. She could hear her and Vera talking in the kitchen, and she could smell the breakfast they were cooking. The smell made the brunette’s stomach turn, and she could feel the bile rising in her throat. Franky threw the covers off, and ran to the washroom where she proceeded to empty her stomach into the toilet.

Bridget and Vera had seen the brunette’s sprint to the toilet, and heard the aftereffects of the alcohol she had consumed the night before. They watched as she made her way a few moments later to the kitchen, her eyes still half closed against the bright morning light.

“Hey, baby. Want some breakfast?” The blonde smiled. She knew that Franky most likely didn’t even want to think about food, but she remembered the brunette’s insistence the night before that she would be fine.

“No.” Franky gave her a sideways glance as she joined them at the kitchen table. “I don’t even remember going to bed last night.”

“So you don’t remember telling me that you could ‘rock my world’?” Bridget tried to keep a straight face, but Vera laughed and almost choked on her coffee.

The brunette cringed. “Please tell me I didn’t say that.”

“You did.”

“God, that’s so cheesy. But did I?” Franky managed a half grin.

“Baby, you were asleep when I got back from the bathroom.” Bridget couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

“Ugh.” Franky folded her arms on the table in front of her and rested her head on them.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get another chance.” The blonde said with mock seriousness as she reached over and rubbed her back. “You should at least have some water, and take something for the headache.”

“Okay,” Came the brunette’s muffled reply. Franky turned her head when Bridget got up to get her water so she could see the other two women. “How are you guys fine and I’m a mess?”

“You had two more shots of tequila than we did, and I’m pretty sure you had a second glass of champagne at some point too, but I wasn’t really paying attention,” the blonde said, setting the glass of water and the bottle of pain relievers on the table as she took her seat again.

The brunette took two of the pills with a couple mouthfuls of water. “Ugh, that doesn’t feel nice.” She rested her head back on her arms.

Bridget reached out and rubbed her back again while she resumed her chat with Vera.

After a few minutes, she could feel Franky’s muscles starting to relax. “Why don’t you go back and lay in bed, baby? Get a couple more hours of rest before Em comes home.”

The brunette sighed. “Alright. Sorry I’m not better company, Vera,” she said as she stood.

“No worries, go get some more rest,” the governor said as she took another drink of her coffee.

Franky leaned down to give Bridget a kiss, and saw her flicker of hesitation. “I brushed my teeth,” she said with a smile.

The blonde gave a small laugh, and kissed her fiancée.

********

Bridget was sipping her second cup of tea when Liz arrived with Emily. The young girl came around the corner from the entryway, and gave the blonde a hug.

“Where’s Franky?” she asked, looking around the living area.

“She’s still in bed. She’s not feeling her best this morning.” Bridget caught Liz’s eye, and the other woman gave her a knowing smile. “Why don’t you go put your bag in your room?”

“Ah, you’re nicer than I was, love. I used to beat on the pots and pans ‘till she woke up when she lived at my place and came home like that. Only happened a couple times,” Liz said after Emily had gone, and gave the blonde a wink.

“I’m sure she loved that.” Bridget gave a small laugh. “I’m going to see if she wants something for lunch in a few minutes, so I’m guessing Em will be getting her up. Thanks again for taking her for the night. There were no problems?”

“No, love, she was an angel. Managed to stay up until midnight too.”

“Good. She’s been acting out a bit lately. Just testing some boundaries, but I’m glad it’s only with us.”

“She’s a good kid. Tell Franky I said happy new year, will ya? I have to get going. I’ve got some paperwork to look after at the Centre.” Liz gave Bridget a hug before she left.

“Can I go in?” Emily was standing at their bedroom door.

“Just wait a few minutes. I’m going to see if she wants something to eat for lunch or if she wants to sleep some more, okay?” Bridget gently moved the young girl aside, so she could open the door. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

Franky still had the curtains drawn, and the blankets over her head.

“Baby.” The blonde gently lifted the edge of the blanket. “Do you want something to eat?”

“I don’t know.” The brunette thought for a minute. “Maybe?”

“Okay I’ll make some toast. Em’s back too and she’s asking for you. I told her you weren’t feeling well, but she really wants to see you.”

“Tell her I’ll be out in a minute. I’ll lay on the couch and hang out with you guys.” Franky rubbed her eyes and sat up slowly.

“Are you sure?” Bridget reached out and brushed a few strands of hair off the brunette’s face.

“Yeah, I did this to myself, I need to suck it up.” She groaned and stretched as she stood up from the bed. “I think I’d like a shower first before I try to eat something though.”

“Okay, I’ll wait until you’re done to make your food.” The blonde squeezed her arm, and left her to get showered.

When Franky got out to the living room, Emily was waiting for her on the couch, dressed in her pyjamas.

“How was your night with Liz, bub?” the brunette asked, sitting down beside the girl.

“It was good! She had crisps, and candy, and we watched movies, and she made a big breakfast for us. She cooks good like you. And I stayed up until midnight!”

“She taught me how to cook. Why are you still in your pyjamas?” Franky asked, giving a small tug on the girl’s sleeve.

“Auntie Bridge said you were sick and needed to rest, so I wanted to rest with you, and look after you like you did when I was sick. I got you a pillow and a blanket and the bucket.” Emily pointed to the bucket sitting on the floor.

“Well let’s hope we don’t need that, but thank you. That’s very kind of you.” The brunette put an arm around the young girl and pulled her into a side hug. She glanced over to the kitchen where Bridget was watching them with a smile on her face.

As soon as the toast popped out of the toaster, Emily got up and waited for Bridget to put butter on it so she could bring it to Franky. The blonde gave her a bottle of sports drink to go with it as well. Bridget figured she could use the extra electrolytes since she’d thrown up twice more after Vera left.

“I think I’m going to lay down again. Would you like to watch some cartoons or something with me?” Franky took her plate over and put it in the dishwasher.

“Okay.” Emily began to unfold the blanket she had gotten for Franky.

“You going to hang around too, Gidge?” the brunette asked. Bridget had been cleaning up from the lunch she’d made for her and Emily, and Franky wasn’t sure if she had work she needed to do, or if she was free for the day.

“A lazy day on the couch with you two sounds good to me.” She gave the brunette a kiss.

Franky laid on her side and Emily laid in front of her so they could both see the screen, while Bridget settled onto the other section with her own pillows and blanket.

“Franky gets to pick what we watch, since she’s sick.” Emily handed the remote to the brunette, as her aunt smiled and shook her head.

Franky scrolled through the cartoon options. “Hey, do you know these guys?” she asked Emily. The girl shook her head. “The teenage mutant ninja turtles. It’s an American cartoon. These four turtles touched a bunch of goo and became kind of human-like and the guy who raised them looks like a big rat. They fight crime and this evil guy called Shredder.”

“Cool! I want to watch that!” Emily said excitedly.

“Did you watch them, Gidge?” the brunette asked as she pressed play.

“They were after my time. I never watched it, but I know the basic idea.” The blonde pulled the blanket around her.

“Prepare to be amazed then.”

Bridget smiled as she watched Emily’s focus on the show, and Franky filled in all the details for her. This was the perfect way to end their holidays.


	51. Chapter 51

Franky awoke the next day feeling much better. The hangover from New Year's Eve was gone, but she was nervous about her meeting with Jillian that afternoon. This was the last day of hers and Bridget's vacations, and it was back to business as usual tomorrow. She was glad that their first day back to work would be ending with her teaching the blonde and Emily's class.

She felt Bridget stir, and placed a soft kiss on the blonde's lips. She had told Franky that was one of her favorite ways to wake up, and now, more often than not, she woke up to the brunette's soft kisses either on her lips, neck, or shoulders.

Bridget quickly ran her hands down the length of Franky's body, and pulled the younger woman's hips against her own.

"Mmm, for someone who says they prefer sex at night, you seem pretty turned on in the mornings too." Franky mumbled against the blonde's lips in between kisses.

Bridget let out a small laugh. "I think prefer is the key word there."

The brunette gave her a long, slow kiss.

"You know, I enjoy just making out with you, too," the blonde said as their lips parted.

"Do you?" Franky had that grin on her face again.

"Yes," Bridget whispered softly.

They heard Emily's bedroom door open, and waited to see if she was on her way to find them. They heard her footsteps pass their door, and continue into the living room, where a few seconds later, they heard the TV playing.

"I think this is the first morning she hasn't woken us if she's up first." The brunette shifted so she was laying half on top of the older woman. She lowered her head to place a kiss on Bridget's neck.

"That's good. It means she's becoming a bit more independent." The blonde took in a sharp breath as Franky found a sensitive spot with her lips.

"It also means she's less likely to walk in on us." The brunette gave a small laugh.

"Baby, it's going to happen at some point."

Franky pulled back a bit. "What?"

Bridget couldn't help but give a small smile when she saw the look on the brunette's face. "Unless you want to stop having sex when she's in the house, then it's pretty likely that at some point, she will walk in on us."

"Oh. So..." Franky trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"We'll deal with it. It'll be fine." The blonde pulled her back down for another kiss. "We should get up now though."

The brunette didn't move but just studied Bridget's face for a moment. "I love you."

"I love you too, baby." It was something the blonde would never get tired of hearing or saying.

********

Franky gave Bridget a quick kiss goodbye as she was headed out the door to her meeting with Jillian. They had decided to meet at the Centre. The brunette didn't want the producer anywhere near her house or her family. At least not yet. She was protective of Bridget and Emily in general, and she was especially wary of having anyone with anything to do with the show around them.

"Baby." The blonde held on to Franky's arm when she turned to leave. "If you need anything, call me."

"I will." The brunette gave her another quick kiss. "I'll be home right after."

Bridget gave her a small nod and watched as she walked to her car. She had offered to go with Franky, but the younger woman insisted she would be fine, and that this was something she needed to do on her own.

Franky paced back and forth in her office. It was only a few minutes before Jillian was due to arrive. She went through the points in her mind that she wanted to talk about, and what she and Bridget had decided she should ask for. The brunette took a deep breath and rubbed her fingers over the kite pendant around her neck. It had become a source of comfort for her; a way to feel like Bridget was near, even when she wasn't.

She turned quickly when a small knock at the door startled her. She opened it to see Jillian standing there.

"Hey." The producer gave her a smile. "I brought us coffee."

Franky glanced down to the tray in the other woman's hand. "Thanks. Come in."

Jillian sat on the couch while the brunette opted for her desk chair.

"I won't take too much of your time, I know you're still on holidays." The producer took some papers out of her bag. "I trust you've had some time to look over the contract I sent?"

"I did." Franky cleared her throat. "There are a few things I'd like to talk about.”

"Well, I can't guarantee anything, but we'll work with you as much as we can."

“There’s one thing in particular that I’m not okay with.” Franky thought to herself that that was putting it mildly.

Jillian fixed her gaze on Franky. "What is it?"

"The part about living on set. I really don’t want to do that." The brunette shrugged. “It wasn’t like that on the last show and I wasn’t expecting it to be like that on this one.” She didn't want to explain more than she had to, so she waited to see if the producer accepted her statement, or if she was going to question her further.

"Franky. That's a huge part of the show. Letting the audience see how the contestants interact in a more candid environment is key to getting them to choose their favorites, someone to get behind and cheer for." She let her shoulders slump. “This format especially relies on having everyone together as much as possible. The last show you were on was kind of everyone for themselves, but this is a team format. You compete, and win or lose, as a team. If you’re not there half the time, how are your teammates going to feel about you? Do you think they’ll feel like you’re pulling your weight?”

“I didn’t think it was a team-based format.” The brunette intentionally avoided Jillian’s questions. She didn’t know if it being like that made things better or worse.

“Well, to be honest, that’s because the contestants aren’t supposed to know that ahead of time. All that the others will know is that they’re going to be on a competitive cooking show.” Jillian ran a hand back through her hair. “So why don’t you want to stay on set?”

"I have a family." Franky caught the almost-hidden look of surprise on the producer’s face. She clearly hadn’t expected the brunette to say that, given the mess she had been on the previous show, and the way she had talked about her upbringing.

Jillian sighed, and her body language softened a bit. “No offence, but pretty much all the contestants do.”

“But…” Franky wanted to explain, but she didn’t know how without giving out too much information. “The stuff we’re talking about right now is off the record? I don’t want any of it used in the show unless I give permission later on.”

The producer gave a nod. “Sure.”

“My fiancée and I have a little girl. She’s been through a lot. I won’t go into details, but I really don’t want to live apart from them. They mean more to me than anything.” The brunette held Jillian’s stare.

The producer gave a small nod, and leaned back on the couch, scanning over the papers on her lap. Franky could tell that she was thinking.

“I understand what you’re saying, I really do.” She hoped the brunette believed her. “But I really can’t give you what you want here.”

“Then I don’t know if I can give you what you want either.” Franky looked down at the floor. She hadn’t realized until now that maybe a part of her really did want to do this, but now it was coming to an end before it had even gotten started.

“What would it take to get you to stay on set?” Jillian knew that if she gave the brunette anything at all, it would be a huge exception considering none of the other contestants would be getting any such favours, but she really didn’t want to lose her. When Franky stayed quiet, she tried to prompt her. “Communication? What?”

“I don’t know.” The brunette couldn’t think of any substitute for actually being at home.

“Phone calls? Visits?” Jillian could feel Franky slipping away from her.

The brunette needed, at the very least, to be able to talk to them each day. She thought back to her time in Wentworth, and the phone calls each night with Bridget. They were nice, but they weren’t enough. They were still willing to risk a lot to spend a few moments together in the blonde’s office. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she needed the physical side of it as well. She needed to be able to hug Emily, to kiss Bridget, and to hold her at night.

“Both.” Franky tried to gauge the producer’s reaction. “I want to keep my phone, and I want to spend time with them in person.”

Jillian held the bridge of her nose as she looked down at the papers in her lap.

“You can’t keep your phone, but I can have a crew member bring it to the interview room, and we’ll give you time at the end when you can call them from there.” The producer waited, but Franky simply looked at her. She knew the brunette was waiting for her response to the second part of her request. “So what are you thinking? Have them come visit for an hour or so on set once a week?”

Franky shook her head. “I want to spend time with them at home.” 

“I can’t…” She watched as the brunette shrugged and crossed her arms.

“A day each week, and I need a night too.” Franky wanted time with the three of them together, but she also wanted time with just Bridget. She knew how hard her being away had been on the older woman the last time, especially at night.

“Look, I can’t guarantee a certain amount of time with them, or promise it’ll always include a night.” The producer couldn’t believe she was about to suggest; it was unheard of. “Some of the rewards for winning the challenges will involve the winning contestant spending time away from the set. Maybe we could work something out with that.”

“So it might not happen at all? Like if I didn’t win the challenges.” Franky definitely didn’t like the loose wording that Jillian had used.

“That’s the best option I can think of. I just don’t want to make any promises I might end up having to break later on. It can’t look like you’re getting special treatment.” The producer knew it would be worse if she had to go back on her word. She needed the brunette to trust her.

“I can respect that.” It wasn’t what she wanted, but Franky knew she had been lucky to get anything.

“Okay, good, we’re making some progress.” The producer gave her a small smile. “What else did you want to talk about?”

“The part where it says I’ll have to do interviews and answer questions about my personal life.” The brunette waited.

Jillian let out a long breath. “Let me guess. You don’t want to do that either?”

Franky shook her head. “I’ll do an interview, but I’m not answering personal questions.”

The producer tossed the papers from her lap onto the couch, and ran a hand over her face. “If you’re not willing to open up, then what reason do people have to get behind you, to relate to you?

“My cooking. Which is why I’m there. That’s why you want me, yeah?” The brunette gave her a challenging look, trying to figure out if there was an ulterior motive at play.

“Yeah, of course. Look.” She leaned forward and reached out to place a hand on Franky’s knee, but the brunette pulled her leg away. Jillian held up her hands in a silent apology. “I’m on your side here. I want to work with you, but there are three main parts to a show like this: the competition, the behind-the-scenes contestant interactions, and the contestant’s background stories. We already know that the behind-the-scenes stuff will be affected by you being allowed to go home, and now you want to take away sharing your background story too? It’s too much, Franky.”

“I want to see the questions before the interview, and I want the right to veto the ones I don’t want to answer.” 

“You can preview the questions, and we’ll discuss them. I can’t promise you’ll get to remove every question that you don’t like, but we can negotiate on them.” The producer felt that if she didn’t give in to something, then Franky would walk before they even got started. “Anything else?”

“I want a say in the final edit of the episode. I don’t want you making me into something I’m not. I’ve worked hard to build a career and a life since what happened, and I don’t want it ruined for ratings.” In all honesty, the brunette didn’t expect to get this.

“No, I’m sorry, but I can’t let a contestant dictate the final product like that. It’s unheard of, and could cost hours of extra work and money if you decide you don’t like something.” Jillian had a counter proposal though. “How about I give you my word that we won’t ruin your reputation, and I’ll make sure you get a copy of the episode before it airs? That way you won’t be blindsided by anything, and you’ll know I’ve kept my word before it’s too late to do anything about it if I haven’t.”

“That’s a big gamble for me to take.” Franky sat back and crossed her arms. “And I’ll need time to talk it all over with Bridget.”

“It’s the best I can offer.” When the brunette was quiet, Jillian continued. “I’ll give you forty eight hours for a final decision. I really can’t wait any longer, Filming starts in four weeks, and if you don’t want the spot then I need to find someone who does.”

Franky nodded, and the producer held out her hand. She hesitated a second before returning the handshake, and when she went to pull away, Jillian held on.

“I’m not going to fuck you over,” she said, looking the brunette in the eye.

Franky gave a quick nod, and Jillian released her hand. The producer gathered her things quickly, and made her way to the door.

“Forty eight hours. If I don’t hear from you, I’ll assume your answer is ‘no’.” She opened the door, and disappeared out into the classroom. 

********

The brunette arrived home shortly after the interview had concluded. She had stopped by Liz’s office to tell her it had gone okay, and that she was going home to talk with Bridget. They’d have more time to talk tomorrow when classes had started back up, but for now she just wanted to get back to the house.

“Baby.” Bridget greeted her just seconds after she walked through the door. “How did it go?” She wrapped her arms around the younger woman and gave her a quick kiss.

“Not as well as I’d hoped. I need some time to process, I think, and we definitely need to talk later.” Franky reached out and cupped the older woman’s cheek, brushing a thumb across her cheekbone.

The blonde felt like this would be one of their bedtime conversations. Even now, that was still the time and place where Franky seemed to open up the most.

“Okay.” Bridget gave her a small smile and another small kiss. “Em’s been impatiently waiting for you to get back. She wants to work on your Lego project.”

The brunette gave a small laugh. “Alright, give me a minute to get changed into something comfortable then I’ll be back.” 

Bridget nodded, and Franky made her way to the bedroom. The blonde could sense a weight around the younger woman, and she didn’t like it. She knew something was bothering the brunette, but there was no point in forcing her to talk; she’d do it when she was ready.

********

The three of them had passed most of the day together, including an impromptu trip to the reserve for a picnic lunch. Now, Franky was crawling into bed next to Bridget, preparing herself for the coming conversation.

The brunette wrapped her arms around the older woman, and pulled her in close. She gave her a few soft kisses, before pulling back and taking a deep breath. 

“I’m here, baby,” Bridget whispered softly. 

Franky nodded. “I brought up the things that we’d talked about. Some of them she agreed to, and some she didn’t. I told her I couldn’t live there, and she pushed for a reason. I didn’t even want to bring up you and Em, but she pushed for a reason why. I said I couldn’t live away from you guys.”

“What did she say?” This was the point the blonde had been most worried about. She would support her fiancée no matter what, but the thought of not having her around for a while, made her feel almost physically ill.

“She didn’t go for it.” The brunette could see the sadness in Bridget’s eyes. The blonde had a good poker face, but this time her eyes gave her away. “She did agree to let me call you guys at night, and she said maybe if I won some of the challenges where the reward was going off-set, I could spend that time with you instead. I don’t think I can do it, Gidge. What if I never win any of them? I wouldn’t get to see you two at all. She gave me forty-eight hours to decide, but I don’t need that long. I don’t want to leave you guys.”

“You’re going to do it.” It took everything inside her to say it without letting her voice shake, but the blonde managed to do it.

“Gidge,” Franky could feel the tears starting to build in her eyes.

“You can. I know you can; you’re strong.” Bridget gave the brunette a soft kiss, and felt the arms around her tighten a bit. “Think of this as motivation. You’re good at what you do, baby. We’ll make the most of any time we do get to have together. When it’s over, I’ll be here.”

“What about Em? She won’t be so understanding.” The brunette knew it would break the young girl’s heart.

“Probably not.” The blonde didn’t want to make Franky feel worse, but she also didn’t want to lie to her. “But we’ll talk to her, and she’ll have me here. Be prepared for her to be stuck to you like glue when or if we do get to see you.”

The brunette felt the corner of her lip twitch into a smile. “I’d be okay with that.”

“I know you would, baby. Just try to be strong for her if she’s upset about it though. It’ll help calm her down.” Bridget placed her hand on Franky’s cheek and brushed her thumb back and forth.

Franky gave a small nod. “I’ll try.”

The blonde gave her a small kiss. “What else did she say?” 

“She said I could preview the interview questions, and we could negotiate on them, but that I couldn’t get rid of all the ones I might not like. It was a flat out no to any control in the final edit, too. She’s giving me an advance copy of each episode though to prove that she’s kept her word of not making me look like the person I was before.”

“It’s better than nothing. At least you’ll have time to prepare for the interviews, and we can talk through things beforehand if you want.” Bridget was thankful that they also had some time to prepare Emily for what would be happening. “So what did you tell her?”

“I told her I wanted to talk to you first and she gave me two days to give her a final answer. If you’re sure you’re okay with everything, then I’ll do it.” The brunette studied Bridget’s face. She needed to know that the other woman was fully on board.

“I’m okay with it,” the blonde said, giving her a small kiss.

“Okay.” Franky felt Bridget nuzzle into the crook of her neck. “I’ll call her in the morning.”

The blonde placed a soft kiss on the younger woman’s neck. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Gidge.”

********

Franky’s first day back had gone by quickly. She had talked to Jillian first thing that morning after she’d gotten to work, and had agreed to doing the show with the conditions that they’d discussed. Before she knew it, it was time for Bridget to meet up with her and Emily to have supper. She was finishing cleaning up her workstation when the blonde arrived.

“How was your day, babe?” the brunette asked, giving Bridget a quick kiss.

“It was alright,” she said leaning against the counter. “Something smells good.”

“That’s our supper in the oven.” Franky gave her a small grin.

“Thanks for cooking for us. I could have stopped and picked something up though.”

“You sounded tired on the phone, and I had stuff leftover from a class today anyway.” She put her arm around the blonde. “Em’s in the office, if you want to go in there and relax for a few, or you can stay out here with me if you like. Supper will be another twenty minutes before it’s ready.”

“I glanced in on the way by and it looked like she was watching something on your iPad, so I’ll stay out here with you. I think I’ll make a coffee though.” Bridget made her way over to the other counter, and selected the flavour she wanted.

“Yeah, there’s this guy who makes videos and raps Dr. Seuss books over Dr. Dre beats.” She caught the blonde’s skeptical look. “They’re pretty good, actually.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Bridget turned on the coffee machine, and waited. “I called Brad’s office today. She has an appointment with him next week. We talked a bit about what was going on and he thinks she’ll only need two or three sessions this time. I think after this though, if things keep coming up, maybe she should see him on a regular basis. Even just once every couple of weeks. It’ll give her someone to talk to who’s not us, and she’ll get some unbiased advice.”

“Don’t we give her good advice?” Franky had stopped what she was doing.

“We do, but it goes back to what I said when this all started. Even before that actually. When you were in Wentworth, I said I couldn’t be your counsellor, and when Tim passed away, I said I couldn’t be Em’s either. Our judgments and opinions are always coloured by emotions when they involve the people we’re closest to. We’re good with the day-to-day stuff with her, but once in a while, it might help for her to have someone outside the situation to talk with.” The blonde took a small sip of her coffee. “I’m not saying that’ll happen for sure. We’ll see how these sessions go, then we can work from there. It’s normal for kids to push back sometimes, and that may be all this is with her.”

“Okay.” The brunette nodded just as the timer went off signalling that their supper was ready.

“I’ll go get Em.” Bridget set her mug down on the counter.

“Hey, Gidge.” Franky reached out and touched the blonde’s arm, causing her to stop and turn back around. She gave the older woman a small kiss.

Bridget smiled. “What was that for?”

The brunette just shook her head, and returned the other woman’s smile.

“Okay, baby.” The blonde quickly brushed her thumb across Franky’s cheek a couple times, and continued to the office.

********

“I’m going to put my ring in your office” Bridget had finished clearing the table after their meal. She had gotten in the habit of removing her engagement ring before she did any cooking to keep it from getting dirty.

“Here.” Franky tossed her a small set of keys. “You can lock it in the top desk drawer if you want.”

“Ooo, a locked drawer. What else do you keep in there?” Bridget wiggled her eyebrows.

The brunette was glad to see that her mood seemed to be lightening. “All the secrets I keep from you.” She said with a laugh. The blonde just shook her head.

Bridget unlocked the drawer and pulled it open to find that it was empty. She smiled to herself as she set the ring inside then closed and locked it again.

“Very funny,” she said, placing the keys back into Franky’s pocket.

The brunette winked at her, and continued to get ready for the class.

It wasn’t long before the first people started showing up. Bridget spotted Richard and Mia right away and gave them a wave.

“Hey, guys. How were your holidays?” the blonde asked with a grin, as they all took their places at their workstations.

“It was good, yeah. Wasn’t it Mia?” The young girl gave a quick nod of her head then quickly started talking excitedly with Emily about what they’d done over the holidays.

“That’s good to hear.” Bridget lowered her voice a bit so the girls wouldn’t overhear the second part. “I was a bit worried when you didn’t call. I thought something may have happened.”

“Oh, no. No, time just seemed to get away from us is all. Before I knew it, the holidays were over and it was back to the normal grind.” He gave her a small smile.

“Ah, no worries.” The blonde sensed that maybe he wasn’t saying everything, but it wasn’t her place to pry, nor did she want to. He was a casual friend at best, and she was fine with that.

“Alright everyone, let’s get started!” Franky stood at the front of the room, ready to begin the class. “This week, we’re making Anzac biscuits. It’s a little bit more of a complicated recipe, so be sure you follow directions carefully and pay attention to my demo.”

“We might need to work together to get this one right, hey?” Bridget whispered to Richard with a small laugh while the brunette continued to talk.

“Sounds like it.” He glanced down and studied the blonde’s face for a second before he turned his attention back to Franky.

To Bridget’s surprise they managed to get through the recipe without much trouble and the biscuits smelled delicious as they cooked in the oven. When they were ready, and everyone was sampling their batches, the blonde noticed that Franky was careful to stay back and not try any of them for fear she might end up having to eat too many like the last time.

Most of the students had left. Bridget and Emily were finishing putting away their clean dishes, and Franky was in her office, turning off her computer, and gathering her things into her bag. The brunette heard a small knock on her door, and turned to see the young girl from Emily’s class, and her mother, standing in the doorway.

“Hey, Charlotte.” Franky smiled at the young girl.

“Go on.” Charlotte’s mother whispered quietly, and gently nudged her daughter’s shoulder.

She hesitated for a second before walking to the brunette’s desk. “I wanted to bring you this.” She set one of her biscuits, wrapped in a napkin, on the desk.

“Aw thank you.” Franky was touched by the gesture.

The girl looked back at her mother, who gave her a small nod. “When you came to my school, you brought us treats.”

The brunette nodded. “The lemon tarts.”

“I want to make them with my mom.”

It took Franky a second to realize what the girl was saying. “Ah, you want the recipe.” Charlotte nodded enthusiastically. “Well, a biscuit for a recipe seems like a fair trade.” The brunette gave her a wink and the girl giggled. “I should have it right here.” Franky reached down and opened the bottom drawer of her desk. She flipped though the files until she found what she was looking for. “Here you go.” She pulled out a sheet and handed it to the girl. “Let me know how they turn out.”

“Thanks!” The girl quickly walked back to where her mother was still standing.

“Thanks so much.” The woman gave Franky a smile.

“Yeah, no problem. These are good by the way, Charlotte.” The brunette held up the biscuit she had taken a bite from.

“She wanted to bring you one earlier, but I saw what happened last time. You ended up having to eat so many, so this time I made her wait.”

“Ah, yeah, I was pretty uncomfortable after that.” Franky gave a small laugh.

“I bet. Anyway, we won’t keep you any longer. See you next week.” She and Charlotte both waved goodbye to Franky and headed out of the classroom.

“You can go get your things now, love.” Bridget had made Emily wait until the brunette was done talking to the other student and her mother before she let the young girl go into the office to get her things. Franky may be family to Emily, but the blonde wanted her to understand that she was a teacher to the other students, and needed space to do her job sometimes.

Bridget was putting away the last baking pan at their station when, out of the corner of her eye, she caught someone come into the classroom. She looked up to see Richard.

“Hey, I thought you’d already left. Did you forget something?”

“No. I mean, yes. Well, not really.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Are you alright?” The blonde placed a comforting hand on his arm.

“Yeah. I just wanted to ask if you’d like to have coffee sometime. We could talk, get to know each other a bit,” Richard said it all in one breath, as if he was afraid he wouldn’t get it out if he stopped. “I wanted to ask you earlier, but I was too nervous. I’m just glad you were still here.”

Bridget didn’t know what to say. Obviously she had to decline his invitation, but she didn’t want to hurt his feelings.

“You ready to go, babe? I got your bag here, and here’s your ring.” Franky emerged from her office, oblivious to the conversation happening outside, or even the fact that Richard had returned.

Emily had already gone out the door, expecting them to follow. Bridget absentmindedly held out her hand, and the brunette dropped the ring into it.

Franky looked from Bridget to Richard, and realized she had interrupted them. She sensed the awkward situation.

“I’ll meet you outside when you’re ready.” The brunette rubbed Bridget’s back quickly, then excused herself. She knew people were drawn to the blonde because she was easy to feel comfortable around, so Franky left her to finish the conversation. 

Richard gave her a weak smile. “You’re, uh, with Franky?”

Bridget sighed. “Yeah, we’re engaged. I’m sorry, Richard. You seem like a great guy, but obviously I have to say ‘no’.”

“Yeah, of course, I understand. I wouldn’t have asked if I’d known, I’m not that type of guy.” He looked down at his hands.

“I know you’re not.” The blonde thought for a moment. “Listen, if you want to, we can still have coffee, but all of us as friends. The girls get along so well, I’m sure they’d love a little outing.”

“That would be nice I think. Em’s a good kid. You raised her well.” Richard caught the look that flickered across Bridget’s face. “Oh no.”

The blonde smiled sympathetically. “She’s my niece. Her parents are both gone, and we’ve had custody of her for a few months now.”

“Okay, well, I’d say I’m going to quit while I’m ahead, but clearly it’s too late for that.” He gave a small, self-conscious laugh.

“Hey, it’s alright. There’s no way you could have known anything. Don’t be so hard on yourself. I’ll see you next week, okay?” Richard gave a small nod. “Come on, walk out with me.” Bridget took a couple steps then waited for him to follow.

When they got outside, Franky and Emily were sitting at one of the picnic tables, waiting for Bridget. She said a final goodbye to Richard, and he gave Franky a small nod as he passed, which the brunette returned.

“Everything alright?” Franky asked when Bridget had gotten to the table.

“Yeah.” The blonde gave her a smile. She knew the younger woman wasn’t convinced. “We’ll talk about it later, okay?”

“I can read you like a book, Gidge.” The brunette gave her a small kiss.

Emily rode in Bridget’s car, leaving Franky to drive home alone. The brunette was curious as to what had happened in the classroom between Bridget and Richard. She had an idea, and if she was right, she felt bad for the guy.

********

Emily had gotten showered, into her pyjamas, and in bed without any problems that night. Franky and Bridget were grateful since they’d both had long days, and were looking forward to a quiet evening and an early bedtime themselves.

The brunette was reading when Bridget crawled into bed. She’d just started the second book in the series she’d gotten for Christmas.

“You look hot when you read,” the blonde said, giving Franky a kiss on the cheek.

“Nope, it’s the perfect temperature in here.” The brunette tried to remain serious, not even glancing towards Bridget, but the older woman saw the corners of her mouth twitch.

“Mmm, you know what I meant,” the blonde whispered next to Franky’s ear, close enough that her lips brushed against it. She accentuated her point with a gentle bite on the brunette’s earlobe. She felt a shiver go through the younger woman’s body.

Franky reached over and placed the book on her bedside table. She rolled back over so that she was now facing Bridget. She pulled the blonde close to her. “Yeah, I knew what you meant.”

Bridget placed her hand on the brunette’s cheek, and studied her eyes. “I can’t wait to be your wife.”

“Same.” Franky gave her a deep kiss. “Have you thought about what you want for the wedding?”

The blonde shook her head. “I’d be happy even if we eloped tomorrow.”

“Me too, but I think Liz would kill us.” The brunette laughed. “We should have at least her, Em, and Vera there.”

“Yeah, we’ll figure it out.” Bridget gave her a soft kiss. They laid in silence for a few seconds before she spoke again. “Richard asked me to have coffee with him.”

“Shit. Like a date?”

“Yeah.” The blonde sighed.

“Is that what you guys were talking about before I came out of the office?” Franky’s intuition had been right.

“Mhm. He’d just asked me. I hadn’t even had time to say anything before you dropped the ring in my hand.” Bridget saw the look on the younger woman’s face, and knew she felt badly about it. The blonde rubbed her back to comfort her.

“Fuck. I feel like such an ass.” Franky cringed.

“You didn’t know, baby. And he didn’t know we were together. It was just a comedy of errors all around.” Bridget gave her a small kiss.

“So what did you tell him?”

“That we were engaged, but that if he wanted, we could all do something fun together with the girls, as friends.” The blonde pushed some hair off Franky’s cheek and placed it back behind her ear. “Then he assumed that Em was my daughter, so I told him she was my niece and that we have custody of her.” She saw a small smile flickered on the brunette’s lips. “And then we left, and I met you outside.”

“Poor guy. He was okay though?” Franky asked.

“Yeah, he was. Just a bit embarrassed.”

“Okay, good.” The brunette realized what she had said had come out wrong. “I mean, not good that he was embarrassed, but good that he was okay.”

“I know. Shhh.” Bridget quieted the younger woman, and pressed their lips together.

Franky took that as a sign that they were done talking for the night.


	52. Chapter 52

Bridget knocked on Vera's door, and waited for the governor to wave her inside. She had their lunches with her. Franky had been true to her word, and sent an extra lunch with the blonde each day to give to her friend.

"Hey, Vera." Bridget set their lunches down on the round meeting table in the governor's office. "How's your day going?"

"Good, well, alright. It's been a bit busy." Vera sighed.

The blonde gave her a small smile. "I figured maybe that was the reason you asked me to meet you here instead of in the staff room."

"Yeah, i just wanted a quiet lunch without a bunch of people around," she said as she joined her friend at the table.

Bridget nodded. "How were your last few days of vacation?"

"They were alright." Vera took a bite. The food was delicious, as was anything Franky made. "I think I'm going to break up with Jake."

The governor had said it with such nonchalance that the blonde wasn't sure that she'd heard correctly. "What? Why?"

"I realized some things." Vera glanced up at her friend.

Bridget narrowed her eyes, and studied her friend's face for a moment. "What kind of things?"

"Things like....things." She had been wanting to have this conversation with the blonde, but now she was feeling a bit self-conscious.

"Come on, Vera. We're best friends. You can tell me anything." She’d thought things had been off between Jake and her friend on New Year’s Eve, but she didn’t think it was that bad. He seemed like an alright guy.

Vera shrugged. “I don’t know, I guess just seeing how you and Franky are, it made me realize that that’s what I want with someone. I want that level of comfort, and caring. I mean, I feel more comfortable around you or Franky than I do with Jake, and it shouldn’t be like that.”

"Hmm." Bridget sat back in her chair, and nodded her head slowly while she thought. "So you feel like he's just not the right one, maybe?"

"Yeah, I think maybe not. He's nice and everything, I just don't enjoy things with him the way I feel like I should." The governor shrugged.

"If it doesn't make you feel good, then it's not worth it." The blonde wasn't usually one to advise others to dismiss people so quickly, but she knew from her own experience that if you don't click with someone right away then it won't happen.

Vera nodded her head. "You knew right away with Franky didn't you?"

"Yeah," Bridget said quietly. She couldn't help the smile that came across her face.

"I could tell. That first day she sent you with lunch, I knew from the way you talked about her that she was going to stick." The phone on Vera's desk rang, and she glanced out the window to where the receptionist was sitting at her desk. The woman held up a hand in a silent apology. "Sorry, about that. She was supposed to hold my calls."

"Oh that's alright. If you need to take it, I don't mind." The blonde understood that sometimes matters came up that couldn't wait.

"No, it's probably just Channing calling for the hundredth time today. He's got big ideas on how we could make the prison run more efficiently. He wants to cut down on overtime, save money, you know, the usual. Except this time he's hiring a consulting firm. I think he's gunning for a promotion or something." Vera sighed.

"So that's what's been keeping you so busy these past couple days." Bridget had noticed since the holidays that her friend had been a bit more stressed than usual.

"Yeah, I only found out about it when I came back after New Year's. He wants years of data and I have just over a week to find it all so that he has time to review it before it goes to the firm. I wish he'd told me about it sooner." The governor rested her chin on her hand.

"It'll be alright. You can do it. And if you need to unwind after work, you just stop by the house." The blonde reached over, and rubbed Vera's arm.

"Thanks." The governor gave her friend a small smile.

They finished the rest of their meal without much talking. Vera was glad just to have the company while she ate.

********

"Good morning, baby." Bridget gave Franky a soft kiss on the lips when she began to stir. For once, she was the one who had woken up first, and she enjoyed watching the brunette sleep peacefully for a few minutes.

"Mmm, good morning." Franky answered her kiss with another.

When their lips parted, the blonde pulled back and studied the younger woman's eyes. She let her hand trail down the brunette's back, and around to the back of Franky's thigh. Bridget pulled the other woman's leg over her hip, allowing them to move closer.

Franky sighed as the blonde let her fingers move slowly up and down over the skin on the back of her leg. She closed her eyes and let herself melt into the older woman, as she cuddled into the crook of her neck.

After a few seconds, Bridget felt the brunette’s lips brush softly against her neck, then a gentle bite.

“Gidge?” It was barely more than a mumble.

“Yeah, baby?” the blonde asked softly.

“That feels really good.” Franky kissed her neck again.

Bridget smiled. She loved that the brunette was able to be so open with her. With most people Franky had a tough exterior, but with the blonde, she was soft and gentle.

“Will you come with me today?” The brunette pulled back so she could see Bridget’s face. Today was the day Franky was going to see the set where she would be filming.

The blonde gave a small nod of her head. “If you want.”

“I know I said I didn’t want you or Em involved, but I’d really like you to be there.” The younger woman’s gaze flicked away from Bridget’s eyes for a split second.

“Baby.” Bridget rubbed her back, slowly. “I know that last time you went through a lot of stuff, so I understand why this is something you feel like you don’t want us to be involved in. I love that you’re protective of us, but that doesn’t mean you have to do this on your own.” Franky was quiet, but the blonde knew she still had her attention, so she continued. “I know you’re strong, and I believe in you, but we’re a team, yeah?” The brunette was still silent, but nodded slightly. Bridget could tell the younger woman was getting emotional. “Let me be there for you.”

“I just…” Franky trailed off.

“I won’t agree to anything I’m not comfortable with, okay?” The blonde moved her fingertips across the other woman’s side. She felt Franky relax again.

“Okay,” the brunette said, as she buried her head back in the crook of Bridget’s neck. “Can we stay here for a bit?”

“Yeah, of course.” They didn’t have any plans until later that day, but in all honesty, it wouldn’t have mattered to Bridget even if they did. This was what Franky needed right now, and she was going to give it to her.

Whenever she ran her fingers over a particularly sensitive spot on the younger woman’s skin, the blonde heard a small hum of content, or felt a kiss on her neck. Most of the spots she already knew, but she managed to find a couple new ones in her journey.

“I like the little sounds you make, baby,” Bridget whispered. She got a response, not in the form of words, but as a small bite on the patch of skin where Franky’s lips had been. The blonde gave a small laugh.

“I like when you touch me,” the brunette murmured.

Bridget was turned on, and she could tell that the younger woman was too, but neither made a move to take their actions any further. This was about intimacy and making Franky feel loved and supported, not sex and orgasms.

About an hour had passed from when they had first woken up until they decided to get out of bed and start their day. Bridget had made a quick call to Vera, who had agreed to come over and watch Emily for the couple of hours it would take them to tour the set.

********

“Ready, baby?” Bridget asked. They had just pulled into the carpark, but the brunette had made no move to actually get out of the car.

Franky was quiet for a moment, then nodded, opened the door, and stepped out onto the pavement. As she stood looking at the large building in front of her, she felt the blonde take her hand, and give it a reassuring squeeze.

“Let’s go, hm?” Bridget didn’t want to rush her, but she felt like maybe the brunette needed some extra encouragement. She felt the brunette’s grip on her hand tighten a bit before she began to walk.

When they entered the lobby, they were greeted by the receptionist.

“Franky Doyle, I’m here to see Jillian.” Franky introduced herself to the young man sitting behind the counter.

“Ms. Banks will be right with you. You can have a seat over there if you like.” He motioned to some chairs on one side of the large room.

“Thanks.” The brunette wandered over towards the chairs but never sat down. She was too full of nervous energy, shifting her weight from one leg to the other.

“Baby,” Bridget whispered quietly. “Just take a deep breath, okay?” The blonde changed her grip on Franky’s hand, lacing their fingers together. This way she could stroke the edge of the younger woman’s thumb with her own; something she knew comforted the brunette.

Franky gave a small nod. “Gidge, I don’t feel well.”

“I know.” She reached up and cupped the brunette’s cheek. “I’m here though, and today is just a tour. No filming, nothing. Afterwards we can just go home and just spend the rest of the day together with Em. Just focus on that if you need to in order to get through it.”

“Okay.” Franky nodded and took another deep breath. “I love you.”

“I love you, too” Bridget gave her a quick kiss.

“Franky, good to see you again.” Jillian approached the couple. “And this must be the partner you mentioned last time we spoke.” She held out her hand to the blonde.

“Yeah, this is Bridget, my fiancée.” The brunette waited while they shook hands.

“Nice to meet you.” The producer gave her a big smile. “I’m Jillian, the one who’s been meeting with Franky. We’re so happy she’s agreed to work with us.”

“I hope you don’t mind, I asked if I could come along today and see the set. I’ve never been behind the scenes of a tv show.” Bridget returned her smile.

“Oh, no problem, we’ll give you the full tour.” She reached over and took the two visitor passes that the receptionist had placed on the counter for them, and handed them to the couple. “If you’ll just put these on then we can get started.”

Franky and Bridget clipped on their passes, and Jillian turned to lead them to the set. Once the producer had turned her back, the brunette gave Bridget a questioning look. The blonde simply gave her a small smile, and a quick raise of her eyebrows before they followed the other woman onto the set.

“So there’s only two main areas to the set.” Jillian spoke as she led them into the studio. “The first one I’ll show you is the dorm.” She swiped an access card and they entered into a large, nicely decorated living area. “So we’ve kind of set it up just like a big house. We have the living area here, and the outdoor area is just through those doors.” She pointed to large patio doors beyond the living area. “The bedrooms and bathrooms are just down the hall here.”

Bridget could tell Franky was still tense. Every so often the blonde would give her hand a squeeze to remind her that she was still there with her.

“So on the left here, we have the bathrooms. There’s five in total, and they’re fully private; toilets, sinks and showers in each. They’re also the only rooms on set that don’t have any cameras or microphones. Having said that though, if you’re wearing a mic when you go in, it’ll be active unless you turn it off yourself.” The producer waited while the couple looked at one of the bathrooms. When they stepped back out into the hallway, she continued. “Now, on the right, we have the sleeping areas. There’s one for males and one for females.” She opened the door to the female’s room. “They’re both identical.”

The room was large, with single beds lined up on both sides of the room. Franky counted six beds in total and assumed that meant there would be 12 contestants. At the far end of the room were six closet spaces to go with the six beds.

Jillian broke the silence. “So I just wanted to confirm with you that it’s been cleared with everyone that you’ll have some time at the end of each interview session to call home.”

The brunette was quiet. She wasn’t trying to be rude, but she felt like her brain was processing so much that she didn’t know what to say.

Bridget still had a hold of Franky’s hand, and she leaned now into the younger woman’s side. She reached over and rubbed her back. “Baby?” She said it quietly enough that the brunette was probably the only one who could hear her.

“Yeah, sounds good. Thanks.” Franky looked at the blonde, then Jillian. Bridget gave her a small nod.

“Okay.” The producer gave her a small smile. “I’ll give you guys some time alone to look around without me hovering over you. I need to go over some things with the crew just back out where we first came in. When you’re done, let me know and I’ll take you over to see the competition area where most of the filming will take place.” She gave them a quick nod, and headed back out the door.

“Jillian.” A cameraman approached the producer just after she exited the bedroom. “Do you want the cameras rolling on this? Everything’s set up already.”

Jillian glanced back towards the door. The producer side of her wanted to say yes, but she’d made a promise to Franky. “Absolutely not.” She turned to leave. “And make sure all the mics in here are off as well.”

“Gidge.”

Franky didn’t need to say any more. Bridget stretched up to give her a gentle kiss on the lips.

“You’re doing well, baby. How are you feeling?” The blonde studied her face.

“Anxious, nervous. I feel like I can’t even think properly right now.” The brunette took a deep breath. “And still very nauseous,” she said, placing a hand on her stomach.

“Well, the bathroom is across the hall, but I’m not holding your hair for you.” Bridget playfully nudged the younger woman with her elbow, and saw a hint of a smile appear on her face.

“Yes you would.” Franky gave a small laugh.

“Yeah, I would.” The blonde placed another quick but soft kiss on her lips. “This set is nice though, isn’t it?”

“A lot nicer than I was expecting actually,” The brunette said, looking around. “But I’d rather be home with you guys.”

“I know, baby.” Bridget wrapped her arms around Franky and held her tight. They stood there for a few seconds before the blonde spoke again. “Let’s go have a look at the rest of this set, so we can see the big kitchen one. I bet it’s fancy, too.”

The suggestion seemed to perk up the brunette a bit, and they left the bedroom to explore the living area and the kitchen they’d use to cook for themselves when they weren’t filming. Bridget could feel that, while Franky was still upset, some of the tension was leaving her as they walked around the set and chatted. She knew that while the majority of the younger woman’s anxiety was coming from her past experience, some of it was also just a fear of the unknown. Requesting the set tour had been a great idea, and Bridget could see that it was helping.

They wandered around the set for a few minutes, then went to find Jillian.

“Ready to see the main set?” She gathered the papers she was looking through, and placed them back in their files.

“I think so,” Franky answered. Really, that was the set she cared about. She wanted to see what she’d have to work with during the competition. It had been nice to see the dorms, but she wasn’t planning on spending much time there.

“So this,” she said, reaching out her swipe card to unlock the door, “is the competition area.” She pushed open the doors to reveal a large soundstage built to look like a restaurant, but with two kitchens instead of one, and a large dining area with booths, and tables and chairs. “The kitchens are both the same so I’ll just run through one of them with you then you’re free to look around again if you’d like.”

“Holy shit, is that a…” Franky asked, mouth open, pointing at one of the ovens.

“It is.” Jillian had a large grin on her face. They had consulted with some of the best chefs in the country when they chose the equipment for the set, and she was glad to see it had paid off.

The brunette reached out and ran her hand over the surface of the new appliance.

“I think you’re drooling, baby,” Bridget said, letting out a small laugh.

“Gidge, this is like _the_ oven. If I could afford to put one in our house, I totally would.” Franky opened each of the doors and peered inside.

“Maybe someday.” The blonde smiled at her.

Franky just shook her head, and continued checking out all the features of the appliance.

“So as you can see, there’s the convection oven, the steam oven, four burners, a grill, and a griddle. It should be able to handle the demands of any dish you throw at it. In the cabinets below are the smaller appliances, things like blenders and mixers.” She opened the doors to allow the brunette to look inside. “In the two drawers up here are the smaller utensils. We do have knife sets, of course, but if you have your own that you’d like to use, you can bring it with you.”

“I have my own I’d rather use,” Franky said absentmindedly as she looked through the drawers.

“Very well.” The producer was quiet for a moment. “Any questions, or should I just leave you to explore on your own again?”

“I do have a question, actually.” Franky closed the drawer, and looked up. Jillian nodded for her to continue. “If I do get to go home at some point, the rest of them will just think I actually went wherever it was I was supposed to go, right?”

“Absolutely. We don’t want them knowing we’re bending the rules for someone.” Jillian looked at the two women. “Do you mind me asking exactly what’s so special that you need to be home for?”

Franky hesitated. She looked to the blonde, who gave a small nod in confirmation. “Nothing goes in the show from this conversation?” The producer nodded. “We’re looking after her niece. She’s only five, she’s lost both her parents, and her dad died just a few months ago. She’s very attached to us, and it’s gotten better, but I know she’ll have a really hard time with me being away. I don’t want her to think that another person in her life is leaving her. I just-“ She took a breath to calm herself. “I just need to be with her and Gidge some.” She felt Bridget wrap her arm around hers and lace their fingers together again.

Jillian sighed. “I didn’t realize…” She trailed off, not knowing what to say. “I mean, you had mentioned that you had a little girl, but…” She shook her head. “Okay, Well, if you win the challenges, I’ll see what I can do, but no promises.”

“Thanks.” Franky made sure to hold eye contact, so the producer would know she was being sincere. “Would you do this for any of the other contestants?”

“Honestly? Probably not. If they came to us, asking for what you are, I’d suggest that maybe it’s not the right time for them to be applying for a show like this.” She sighed. “But we came to you, so it’s a different story. You didn’t get to choose the timing.”

“Thank you.” The brunette reached out to shake Jillian’s hand.

“I told you I was on your side.” The producer gave her a smile. “If you’d like to look around more, I can leave you for a bit.”

“I think I’m good, if you are, Gidge.” Franky looked to the older woman.

“I’m good. Whenever you’re ready.” She gave the younger woman’s hand a squeeze.

“Let’s go home then.”

Jillian led them back out to the main lobby where they turned in their passes. She handed Franky a packet of information. “Filming begins on the third of February, so next month. All the specifics are in there, but if you have any more questions or concerns, you have my number.” She shook both their hands again, and they said their goodbyes.

“I’ll drive home.” Bridget reached over and gently took the keys out of the brunette’s hand.

“Hmm?” Franky looked down at her hand to see her keys were gone. “Why?”

“Because you’re distracted, and if I drive, you can just sit back and relax.” She reached out and unlocked the door.

“Thanks for coming with me,” the brunette said, as they both got settled into their seats in the car.

“You’re welcome, baby, but you don’t have to keep thanking me.” The blonde gave her a quick kiss, then started the car.

********

Later that afternoon, Emily and Franky were in the kitchen making pizza for supper. It had become a bit of a family tradition for them. Bridget helped sometimes, but tonight she was sitting on one of the stools at the island, chatting with them while they cooked.

“Can I cook everything tomorrow?” Emily asked as she measured out spices for the sauce.

“What do you mean ‘cook everything’?” Franky was working on stretching out the dough.

“I want to make all the meals by myself.”

The brunette glanced at Bridget, who simply nodded and shrugged in response. This was Franky’s domain, not hers.

“What did you want to make?” Franky knew that Emily was very capable, but lately she had been asking to try things that the brunette felt were beyond her current skill level. She knew she was partly to blame for this. She never wanted to discourage the young girl, so until this point, she had let her try pretty much anything she asked. The more she sat in on Franky’s summer classes though, the more advanced techniques she was exposed to.

“Omelettes for breakfast, grilled cheese for lunch, and tacos for supper.” She answered without hesitation, and both women were impressed that she’d actually thought about it.

“Well, those sound pretty good. Let’s make a deal though.” The brunette waited until she had Emily’s full attention. “I’ll let you do it, but I’ll still need to help you with a few things, and absolutely no cooking anything without one of us in the kitchen. Okay?” The last part had always been a rule, but Franky wanted to make it clear that cooking for them still didn’t mean she could do it alone.

“Okay.” Emily had a large smile on her face that the brunette loved to see.

********

Franky opened her eyes, and saw the morning sun coming in through their curtains. She was still tired and didn’t feel like getting up yet, so she was happy to see that the blonde was still resting peacefully. They had gone to bed earlier than usual the night before, but sleep hadn’t come until quite awhile later.

The brunette felt herself drifting back to sleep when all of a sudden there was a loud crash in the kitchen. Franky’s eyes flew open, and she sat up, unsure of what had caused the noise. Bridget was awake now too, and even more confused than the other woman.

“Was that outside?” Bridget mumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“I think it was in the kitchen.” Franky threw back the covers, and hopped out of bed. “I’ll go check.”

The brunette passed by Emily’s door, and noticed that it was already open. She picked up her pace.

“Em?” She called out on her way down the hallway.

Franky had received no answer, and when she got to the kitchen, she saw no sign of the young girl. On the island though she saw one of the knives from Emily’s set, and a half chopped onion. The carton of eggs was also out of the fridge and sitting with a few other ingredients. The brunette quickly made her way around to the other side of the island where she saw her crouching, trying to clean up some eggs that had spilled. Franky assumed now that the sound she heard was the large metal mixing bowl falling off the counter.

“Are you okay?” When the brunette got no response, she crouched down in front of the young girl. “Em, stop and look at me.” When Emily finally looked up, Franky could see the tears in her eyes. “Are you okay? You hurt?” The brunette quickly looked her over as she shook her head. “What happened?”

“I wanted to make breakfast for you.” Emily blinked, and a tear ran down her cheek. “And I knocked the bowl off the counter.” She was crying harder now, taking in shaky breaths.

Bridget was standing behind Franky now, and tapped her on the shoulder. The brunette glanced back, and saw that she was holding out a washcloth for her to wipe Emily’s face with. The older woman took a seat on one of the stools. Her niece had broken a number of rules this morning, and she wanted to let Franky take the lead with her this time.

“Okay, take a deep breath, slowly. And out.” The brunette wiped the girl’s face while she worked to control her breathing. It reminded Franky of the time when Emily had cut herself during their second class. “You know you’re not supposed to be cooking on your own.”

“I wanted to surprise you.” The young girl had herself barely under control now.

Franky nodded. “I know you did, bub. What did I say when you asked me about this yesterday?”

Emily broke eye contact and looked down to the floor. “That you had to be here and I couldn’t cook by myself.”

“Right.” The brunette took a deep breath. She knew the young girl wasn’t going to like what she said next. “So because you didn’t listen, this can’t happen today. You can’t cook for us.”

“Can I still help though?” A new batch of tears were building in her eyes.

“No, bub. You’re out of the kitchen for the day.” Franky watched as Emily got worked up again, this time worse than the first. “Alright, come on. The brunette stood and put her hand on the young girl’s shoulder, guiding her around the island to where Bridget was sitting.

She was quiet while Franky cleaned up the rest of the eggs from the floor and set the bowl on the counter behind her. When the brunette looked on the island again she saw the knife still laying there. In her efforts to calm the young girl, and make sure that she wasn’t hurt, she’d forgotten that it was there.

Franky’s gaze moved from the knife to Emily, then finally she made eye contact with Bridget. She’d made the blonde a promise when she’d bought Emily the knives that she’d teach her how to handle them safely, and if she broke the rules, there would be consequences. She’d made that clear to the young girl on Christmas morning as well.

“You used your knives, too?” It was a rhetorical question, really. The brunette knew that she had.

Emily looked to her aunt, who said nothing. She looked back to Franky and nodded.

“Do you remember what we talked about when I gave them to you?” The brunette had found that when she had to talk to Emily about something she had done wrong, that she liked to make it more of a discussion than just her saying which rule had been broken, and handing out the consequences. She hadn’t dealt with anything major though, until now.

“That I had to look after them,” Emily said quietly.

“And?” Franky knew the girl remembered exactly which thing she was talking about.

“That I wasn’t allowed to use them unless you or Auntie Bridge were there.” Her bottom lip quivered.

“Right. You’ve lost them now for the rest of the week. You can’t use them here, and you can’t take them to the Centre. Also, from now on they’ll be stored somewhere else, and you’ll have to ask one of us to get them for you.” Franky watched as Emily once again looked to Bridget for help, and got none. Her expression changed from sadness to anger as she focused her attention back on the brunette.

“You’re mean, and I hate you! I just wanted to make you breakfast!” Emily stomped her foot against the wooden floor.

Bridget watched as the younger woman’s expression quickly turned from one of surprise, to one of hurt once she realized what the girl had said.

“Em, go take a few minutes in your room to calm down.” The blonde reached down and gently nudged her niece’s shoulder in the direction of her room.

Franky stayed silent even after the girl had left. She carefully washed the knife and wiped it dry.

Bridget watched as she wiped a thin layer of mineral oil onto the blade before getting the carrying bag out of the cupboard. The blonde saw her wipe her cheeks before she turned around again.

“You alright?” Bridget asked quietly.

Franky shook her head as she placed the knives, one by one, into the bag. “That hurt so much when she said that, Gidge.”

The blonde got up and came around to stand beside her. She wrapped her arms around the brunette’s waist. “You know she doesn’t really mean it, yeah? Kids lash out sometimes when they’re upset.”

Franky nodded. “I know.”

“Do you want to go talk to her in a few minutes, or would you like me to?” Normally Bridget would suggest that the same person see the whole situation through to the end, but she knew the brunette was hurting.

“Uh, I think I’ll just finish up cooking these for us if that’s alright. I just need a bit.” Cooking had been a coping mechanism for Franky for a long time, and she was grateful to have a meal to prepare right now.

“Okay. And baby?” The blonde waited until the younger woman turned her head and looked at her. “You handled that whole situation very well.”

Franky nodded, and stood up straight. She turned to reach for one of her own knives behind her to finish preparing the meal.

Bridget took her seat on the stool again, and watched the brunette work while she waited for a few more minutes to pass before she’d go in to talk with Emily.

Franky was just cracking a fresh batch of eggs into a new bowl the blonde decided to check on her niece. She walked down the hall, and quietly opened the bedroom door. If by chance the girl had fallen asleep, she didn’t want to wake her.

Emily lifted her head as soon as she heard someone come into the room. “I thought you were Franky.”

“Franky is making breakfast, love.” Bridget took the small chair they used when they read to the girl at night, and placed it beside the bed. She sat down. “How are you feeling?”

“Sad.” Emily made eye contact before she turned her head into the pillow. “Franky’s mad at me.”

“She’s upset,” the blonde said softly. “Is that why you’re sad?”

Emily nodded. “And because I can’t cook with her.”

“Do you know why she’s upset?” The blonde asked quietly.

“Because I said she was mean and I hated her.” The young girl looked at her aunt again. “I didn’t mean it though. I love Franky.”

“I know, love.” Bridget reached out and rubbed her back. “You know, we only made all those rules to keep you safe because we love you too, and you have to learn to follow them. Part of why she’s upset is because she was worried you’d been hurt.”

“Yeah.” Emily wiped her eyes. “Can I talk to her?”

“Breakfast is almost ready. Let’s eat, and then you two can talk, okay?” The blonde held out her hand to the young girl. She led her out into the kitchen. “Go have a seat at the table.” Bridget waited while the girl walked over, and sat in her usual seat. “She wants to talk to you after we eat,” she whispered to the brunette as she took the stack of plates and silverware over to the table.

They ate in almost complete silence. When the meal was finished Bridget offered to clean up, and Franky went over to sit on the couch.

Emily looked at her aunt, then over at the back of the brunette’s head.

“Go on, love.” Bridget nodded towards the living room.

Franky watched as the young girl walked over and stood in front of her. She could tell that the girl wanted to say something, but it seemed like she didn’t know how. After a moment of awkward silence, the brunette decided to make it easy on her and break the silence herself.

“Do you want to sit with me, bub?” She was leaning against one end of the couch, but she held open her arm, giving Emily the choice of sitting beside her, or on her lap.

Emily chose the brunette’s lap. Franky wrapped her arms around her once she’d settled in, and the young girl buried her face against her neck.

“Auntie said you wanted to talk to me,” she said in a soft voice.

“I’m sorry I said you were mean and that I hated you and made you upset.” The young girl spoke so quietly that Franky had to listen carefully to hear her. “I didn’t mean it. And I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you.”

Franky glanced over to the kitchen. The blonde had stopped cleaning up, and was watching them. “Thank you for saying you’re sorry.” The brunette rubbed the girl’s back. “Do you understand why I made those rules?” She felt Emily give a small nod. “I made them because I’ve seen people get hurt working in kitchens before, and I don’t want that to happen to you.”

“I know. Auntie Bridge said they’re to keep me safe.” Emily still spoke softly, and now played with the hem of the sleeve of Franky’s t-shirt.

“That’s right, and we want that because we love you.” The brunette took a deep breath. She’d cried enough today already, she didn’t want to start again.

“I love you, too.” The young girl was quiet for a moment. “Are you still my Franky?”

Franky smiled. “Yeah, bub, I’m still your Franky.” She reached up and wiped away the tears on her own face.

********

The rest of the day had passed uneventfully. Emily had spent most of the day on Franky’s lap except for when the brunette was in the kitchen. The punishment had stuck, and the young girl wasn’t allowed to help out, but the brunette had let her sit on one of the stools and watch while she cooked.

Bridget was the first one in bed tonight, and when Franky joined her, she cuddled into the blonde’s side the same way the older woman usually did with her.

“This is different, baby.” Bridget grinned, putting her arm around the other woman.

“Mmm, I thought I was going to have to have her surgically removed from my lap by the end of the day.” The brunette said, settling in. They both gave a small laugh.

“She was just glad you forgave her.” The blonde ran her fingers along Franky’s arm.

“I know.” The younger woman sighed. “I knew she’d say something like that one day, all kids do at some point. I didn’t think it would hurt like that though.”

“It won’t be the last time she says something like that to one of us either. I remember she told me the same thing one time that I had to discipline her when I was visiting. It’s something kids do, they don’t mean it though. They’re just mad and don’t know how to handle it yet.” She placed a kiss on Franky’s forehead.

“Our next kid had better never say it to us.” The brunette gave a small chuckle.

It took Bridget a moment to process what she’d just heard. It had been a while since they’d talked about having kids of their own. At the time, Franky had been unsure, and said she needed time to think. It appeared now, that she’d come to a decision. “I’d love to tell you they won’t, but they most likely will.”

“Little ankle biters.” The younger woman muttered with another laugh.


	53. Chapter 53

“We should talk to Em about what she wants to do for her birthday,” Bridget spoke softly to the brunette.

They were waiting for Emily to finish her appointment with the psychologist. Her behaviour had been good in the week since the kitchen incident, and she had taken the news well when they had told her she’d have to come in for a couple more sessions. Even though the young girl wasn’t nervous like she was the first time, Franky had asked Bridget to make the appointment for Friday afternoon so she was able to be there with them.

“Yeah, that’s coming up soon. What do you think she’d like? A party?” Franky knew parties were the go-to for kid’s birthdays, but she wasn’t sure if they had a different tradition in the Westfall family.

“Maybe.” The blonde thought for a minute. She knew the young girl hadn’t made a lot of friends since she’d lived there, so she wasn’t sure what she’d want. “We’ll have to see what she says.”

The brunette nodded slowly. Bridget watched as the younger woman stared at her hands in her lap, and played with her silver ring.

“Baby?” The blonde waited, but got no response. She reached over and gently placed her hand over Franky’s to get her attention. “What are you thinking about?” she asked when the brunette met her gaze.

“Nothing.” Franky’s shoulders slumped as soon as the word had left her mouth. It was a lie, and she knew Bridget would see right through it, but it was her go-to response when she either didn’t know how or didn’t want to talk about something. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t do that with the blonde though. “It’s not nothing.” She felt Bridget’s thumb stroke the back of her hand. “Can we talk about it later at home?”

“Sure.” The blonde gave her a small smile, and laced their fingers together.

It was only a few more minutes before Brad came to find them.

“If you’d like to follow me, we’ll have a quick chat.” He gave them a warm smile, then led them into his office. He turned his monitor so they could see Emily playing in one of the other rooms. “So you had mentioned there’d been some behaviour problems that you thought might have been caused by her not knowing how to process some of the grief she was feeling over the holidays. Of course, I can’t tell you what she’s told me, but I can say that I think you were partially right. Some of it was that she was feeling overwhelmed, and some was just normal, regular misbehaving that all kids do sometimes. It’s actually a good thing that you’re seeing this from her, it means that she’s fully settled in and comfortable. Other than that, I just wanted to tell you that in my professional opinion she’s doing great, and she says she feels like she can talk about how she’s feeling with either of you. If you’d like her to come back, I’m happy to see her whenever.”

“I’d like her to come back for a couple more sessions.” Bridget glanced at Franky, who gave a small nod. They hadn’t talked about everything the show involved yet, but it was going to impact Emily in a big way and neither of them were looking forward to telling her.

“Sure, you can book her in before you leave today if you’d like.” He closed the file on his desk. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll go get her and you can head home.” They both shook their heads. He shook each of their hands on his way out, and went to get the young girl.

********

They had no sooner gotten back to the house when Bridget’s phone sounded, indicating that she’d gotten a text message. She reached in her pocket and swiped her thumb across the screen to unlock it.

_From: +61 3 9397 8202   
Hi, it’s Richard. Mia is asking if she can call and invite Em to stay the night at our place Thursday night after our class. I’m on vacation from work next week so it’s fine with me if you guys are okay with it._

“Everything alright?” Franky asked as she dropped her shoes by the door.

“Yeah, it’s just Richard saying that Mia wants to have Em over for Thursday night if we’re okay with it. He said he’s on vacation.” The blonde looked at the younger woman and shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”

“Yeah, they seem to get along. Tell him he can either drop her at the Centre sometime in the morning, or I can pick her up on my way home at noon.” The brunette had turned to walk away, then stopped. “Ask if they want to have supper with us before the class. We haven’t really just chatted with him yet. Well, I haven’t anyway.” Franky gave a quick wink then disappeared around the corner, missing Bridget’s playful glare.

_To: Richard  
It’s fine with us! We should all have supper together before the class. I usually meet Franky and Em there and we eat outside._

A few seconds later her phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Bridget, it’s me. Mia wants to talk to Em, but she didn’t want to make the call.” He gave a small laugh.

“Oh, no problem. She’s just in her room.” The blonde started walking down the hallway. “Franky wanted me to tell you too that if you want, you can drop Em off at the Centre in the morning, or she can pick her up at your place. She’s done work at noon on Fridays.”

“Either one works for me. We can leave it up to the girls when the time comes.”

“Okay, sounds good. I’ve got Em here if you’re ready.” Bridget heard him ask Mia if she was ready to talk. She put her phone on speaker. “Mia wants to talk to you, love.”

“Hi, Em. It’s Mia.” Mia’s voice sounded small on the other end of the line. “Do you want to come sleep at my place on Thursday night?”

Emily looked to Bridget, who gave her an encouraging smile. “Okay, it’ll be fun.”

“Okay, bye.”

“Bye.” The young girl went back to changing her clothes. It was a habit she had picked up from Franky, who always changed into something comfortable as soon as she was home for the day.

The blonde took the phone off speaker and put it back to her ear.

Richard was still laughing when he came back on the line. “No unnecessary conversation there, huh?”

“Kids get right to the point.” Bridget let out a small laugh of her own. She wandered back out towards the kitchen.

“Hey, babe? What do you want for supper?” Franky called out. She mouthed a ‘sorry’ when she saw that the blonde was still on the phone.

“I’ll let you go. See you on Thursday though.”

“For sure.” Bridget hung up the phone.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize you were still on the phone.” The brunette closed the fridge door and wrapped her arms around the older woman.

“It’s fine. I think you scared him away though.” Bridget gave her a lazy smile as she put her arms around Franky’s neck.

The brunette scoffed. “He’s not scared of me.”

“No,” Bridget said, placing a kiss on Franky’s jaw. “He’s not. And I don’t care what we have for supper.”

The younger woman sighed. “I’ll probably just do something quick like Spag Bol. I’m not really in the mood to cook tonight.”

“I can cook.” The blonde had seen Franky’s quick glance at the empty rack where Emily’s knives used to hang. She knew that the brunette was missing having her helper in the kitchen. “Or we can order something.”

Franky shook her head. “I don’t mind making something.”

********

The evening had passed by slowly. Bridget could tell there was still something on the brunette’s mind, and she hadn’t forgotten their conversation earlier in the waiting room. The week had been a bit busy for both of them, and most nights they’d gone to sleep not long after they’d put Emily to bed. The blonde had an idea for something nice to end off the week. They could spend some time together, just the two of them, unwind, and maybe Franky would feel like talking about whatever was bothering her.

The blonde had just finished reading to her niece, who was already almost asleep. She placed the book quietly back on the shelf, and shut the door gently behind her. She made her way to the bathroom, and turned on the water in the tub. While it was filling, she gathered a couple candles from around the house. She placed them around the bathroom, lit them, and turned off the lights. By this time the tub was full, so she turned off the water and made her way to the living room to get the brunette.

When she entered the room, she saw Franky scanning through movie titles on the TV fast enough that she wasn’t even sure the brunette was reading them.

She walked over to the couch, and kneeled on the cushion beside the other woman. “Baby.” She reached out and gently took the remote out of Franky’s hand, setting it down on the coffee table. “Come with me.” She took the brunette’s hand and led her to the bathroom.

As Franky’s eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, she saw what the blonde had in mind. “We’ve never taken a bath together before.” A grin played at her lips. She closed and locked the door behind her.

“Neither of us take many baths, period. Showers are what we usually have time for. But tonight,” She stretched up a bit to give the younger woman a slow kiss. “I just want to relax with you.”

“Sounds good to me.” Franky mumbled as she connected their lips again. The brunette felt Bridget’s hands at the hem of her shirt, and lifted her arms, breaking their kiss for a split second to allow the older woman to remove the shirt.

Franky let her hands roam down the blonde’s sides, and into her skin-tight yoga pants. “I love when you wear these, Gidge.”

“I know.” Bridget let out a small laugh at the surprised look on the brunette’s face. “I can practically feel you undressing me with your eyes every time I put them on.”

“You’re playing dirty, then.” Franky gave the older woman’s lip a small bite, then proceeded to run her hands down the length of Bridget’s legs until she was able to step out of the pants.

When they were both completely undressed, the brunette began to step into the tub. The older woman put out an arm to stop her.

“Wait a minute, baby.” Bridget grabbed the bath bomb she had set out earlier, and dropped it into the water where it began foaming right away. She then stepped over the edge and settled herself against the back of the tub. “Alright, come in.” She indicated for Franky to sit between her outstretched legs.

The brunette eased herself into the water, and leaned back against the blonde. She immediately felt Bridget’s arms wrap around her, and her soft lips press against her shoulder while her fingers traced patterns across her stomach. She sighed as a shiver went through her body. After a few seconds, she closed her eyes and tried to let herself just be in the moment.

“That thing smells really good.” Franky let out a small groan of content as she settled down further into the water.

“It’s called ‘lemon-lavender relaxation’. It’s one of the ones Em gave me for Christmas,” the blonde said, running her fingers up the middle of the younger woman’s stomach, between her breasts, then back down again.

“We’ll have to tell her how much we like them.” Franky found one of Bridget’s hands and held it in her own.

The blonde smiled to herself. “She already asked why we shower together. Do you want to explain why we were bathing together too?”

“Saves water.” The brunette chuckled quietly. “_You’ll_ have to tell her how much _you_ like them then.”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it, baby.” Bridget kissed her shoulder.

“I’m sorry I’ve been kind of off this week.” Franky’s voice was quiet now.

“It’s okay, I know you’ve had some things on your mind.” The blonde pulled the younger woman closer against her.

“I’ve, uh, I’ve…” She trailed off, and Bridget recognized from her voice that the brunette was fighting back tears. “I’ve been thinking about how things are going to change, and I don’t know if I can do it.”

“Shhh, baby.” The blonde kissed Franky’s temple.

The brunette shook her head. “I’ve been thinking about having to tell Em, and how much less time I’m going to be spending with her, with both of you. I mean, we’ll go from spending hours together every day to me not being there with her after school, or in the evening. I won’t get to have supper with you guys, or read her a bedtime story. I won’t get to hold you at night.”

Bridget reached for the washcloth she’d placed on the edge of the tub, and dried Franky’s cheeks. “I know, baby. She’s going to be with Liz though after school. She’ll still get to cook, and she’ll be with someone she knows. I’ve told you I understand why you’ll be gone, and I can handle it. I wouldn’t tell you I could if I couldn’t. Remember, this is temporary. Filming is for a couple months, then things can go back how they are now, if you want.”

“I don’t want to give up my time with you guys, even for that long, and I love teaching. It’s a lot to let go.” The brunette wiped her eyes again.

“Ultimately the decision is yours, but you already told Jillian you’d do it. It wouldn’t look good to change your mind now.” She pushed a strand of damp hair behind Franky’s ear. “When this is all over, I will still love you, Em will still love you, this will still be the place you get to come home to every night, and your teaching job will still be there. I won’t lie and say it’ll be easy, but we’ll be okay.” She heard the brunette take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “We’ll talk to Em tomorrow, okay? Then maybe you’ll feel better to have that out of the way.”

Franky nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay.” The blonde gave her another kiss on the shoulder. “Let’s warm up the water a bit and relax for a little while longer.” She sat up slightly and reached for the hot water tap.

The brunette let out a hum of content as the warm water flooded through the bath. “This is another first I’ve done with you by the way.”

“I love that.” Bridget murmured against the younger woman’s skin. She turned off the tap, and they leaned against the back of the tub again.

The blonde let her hand continue to move over the front of Franky’s body, and every so often, she felt the brunette gently squeeze the other hand she was still holding. Bridget let her fingers slide over the top of Franky’s thigh, and then brush the tender skin on the inside on their way back up to her hip.

“Mmm.” The brunette made a small noise in the back of her throat, as Bridget ran her fingers along her hip bone. “Babe. Please.” Her voice was little more than a whisper.

The blonde reached down, and brushed her fingers lightly over Franky’s clit. “Is this what you want, baby?” Bridget asked, placing a kiss beside her ear.

“Yeah.” Franky let out a shaky breath.

The older woman lightly drew patterns on the brunette’s clit while her lips found any patch of skin they could. She worked her way up the side of Franky’s neck and around the outside edge of her ear. She felt the younger woman shiver again, and saw the goosebumps on her skin. Bridget let her hand slip lower, and even surrounded by water, she could feel the other woman’s slick wetness under her fingertips when she slipped them just inside her folds.

Franky’s head fell back, eyes closed, against her shoulder, and the blonde now had a better view of her face. She continued her same, steady pace, letting her fingers slide slowly up and down over the brunette’s clit, sometimes circling it a few times or applying a bit more pressure. She studied the younger woman’s expressions. It occurred to her that it was something she’d rarely done with Franky, and while she’d always thought the brunette was beautiful, she felt like she was seeing another side of it now.

She watched as Franky’s lips parted slightly, then pressed back together, and sometimes a hint of a smile would appear at the corner of her mouth. She watched as the brunette’s eyebrows would knit together as if in concentration, then relax. She watched as she’d squeeze her eyes shut a bit more at the same time she’d grip Bridget’s hand a bit tighter.

Franky turned her head, and her nose brushed against the blonde’s cheek. She placed two small kisses along the older woman’s jaw.

Bridget heard, and felt, the moan that escaped the brunette’s lips. When Franky turned back, the blonde once again had a view of her. She watched as she bit at her bottom lip, and squeezed her eyes shut tighter. The younger woman took a deep breath, but this time, she held it. Bridget could feel the other woman’s body tensing, and she knew that she was close. She applied a bit more pressure, and that was all it took for Franky to fall over the edge.

The brunette felt the pleasure, then the feeling of relaxation flowed through her body. Most of her orgasms, especially with Bridget were hard and intense, but this one was soft and slow.

“I love you.” The blonde placed a kiss on Franky’s shoulder while she caught her breath.

“I love you, too.” The brunette took a deep breath. “That was different. It was….” She trailed off, not really knowing which word she wanted to use.

“Relaxing?” Bridget asked, placing another kiss next to the brunette’s ear.

“Mmm, yeah.” Franky smiled. “I feel like I don’t even want to move.”

The blonde laughed. “You have to at least get to the bed.”

“Do I?” The younger woman chuckled.

“Yes.” Bridget tried to sit up but Franky made no move to get off her. “Come on.” She laughed.

“Carry me.” A picture of that scenario popped into the brunette’s mind and she couldn’t help but laugh, causing Bridget to do the same.

“Get up.” The blonde playfully slapped her arm, and Franky stood and got out of the tub. Bridget followed and reached down to pull the plug so the water would drain.

They dried off, hung up their towels, and decided they’d take their chances walking the few feet between the bathroom and their bedroom with no robes since they’d only have them on for a few seconds anyway. Franky made it to their room first, and Bridget quietly closed the door behind them. When she turned, the brunette was already laying in bed.

“No pyjamas tonight?” She took in the sight of Franky laying completely naked in her bed, the sheets in a bunch by her feet. She was stretched out on her stomach as if she’d just fallen there, and looked totally relaxed and comfortable. Bridget saw her shake her head.

“Just come and sleep with me.” Franky patted the space beside her on the bed.

The blonde smiled, thinking that was an offer she’d never refuse as she reached behind her and locked the door. She reached down and pulled the sheet over them as she settled in beside the brunette. Franky wrapped her arms around her, and it wasn’t long before Bridget could hear her slow, steady breathing indicating that the younger woman was already asleep.

********

“You ready?” Bridget asked, as she rubbed the brunette’s arm.

Franky sighed. “Yeah, lets get it over with.”

They had just finished cleaning up from breakfast, and they had decided that it was time to tell Emily about Franky’s decision to do the show. They both knew she wasn’t going to be happy. The blonde had prepared herself for the fact that she’d probably have two people to comfort for the rest of the day. She didn’t mind, but she hated seeing either of them upset.

“Can I give you a piece of advice before we start?” Bridget studied the brunette’s face, and got a small nod. “I know you’re upset about this, but try as best you can not to show it too much right now. She’s sensitive to how we’re feeling, and seeing you upset will make her feel more anxious about it too. The calmer she is in the end, I think the better you’ll feel too.”

The brunette nodded again. “Makes sense. I’ll try.” She took a deep breath. She couldn’t go in there worked up right from the start.

“Okay.” The blonde gave her a quick kiss.

They had intended to talk to Emily in her bedroom where she was playing, but the young girl was making her way to the living room with some of her art supplies and colouring books. She began setting out her things on the coffee table, and it looked like she was settling in for the afternoon.

Bridget sat down on the couch, and Franky sat on the floor beside Emily.

“Hey, bub. Can I colour a picture?” The young girl nodded, and the brunette chose one of the colouring books from the table. Franky worked on her picture for a moment before she spoke again. “Em, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”

“Am I getting my knives back? I’ve been good.” She looked at the brunette expectantly.

“You’ll be allowed to use them again, yes. They’re not going back out on the rack though. We’re going to keep them somewhere safe and you can use them when one of us is there.” This wasn’t the conversation Franky wanted to have.

“But you said they had to stay on the rack.” Emily looked concerned.

The brunette had to admit that the young girl did take good care of them, and followed all the directions she was given in that respect. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure they’re okay. That’s not what I wanted to talk to you about though.”

Emily looked from Franky to her aunt. She had put down her marker.

“Do you remember when I told you that I had to go talk to a counsellor when I was angry? And how I had a chance to do something, but my anger ruined it?” The brunette waited while the young girl thought, then finally nodded. “I have a second chance to try again.”

“That’s good!” Emily had a smile on her face, but it faded when she realized that Franky wasn’t as excited as she was. “Isn’t it?”

“It is. It could be really good for us.” The brunette glanced at Bridget. “The thing is though, it means we have to make some changes.”

“What kind of changes?”

Franky could tell that the young girl was starting to get upset. “Here, come help me colour this while we talk.” She patted the space beside her on the floor, and Emily moved closer. “Some people have asked me to be on a TV show.”

“You’re going to be on TV?!” The girl’s smile had returned, and Franky had her full attention.

“Yeah.” The brunette realized how uncomfortable any attention was going to make her feel. “But that means I won’t be able to do my regular job for awhile. Liz was really nice though and said she’d teach my classes while I’m away. So you can still go there after school, but you’ll be with Liz instead of me.”

“We can’t cook together anymore?” Emily’s emotions were bouncing all over the place.

“We can, but just not at the Centre. Not for a little while anyway.” Franky couldn’t imagine not being able to share that activity with the young girl. It was one of the things she’d missed the most when she’d been in Wentworth.

“We can make supper together when you get home?”

“Uh.” The brunette looked at Bridget, who gave her an encouraging nod. “Part of being on the show is that I have to live there. So I wo-”

“But you live here!” Emily’s voice got louder as she spoke.

“I do, yeah, of course I do, but while I’m working on the show, I have to live there.” Franky saw the tears in Emily’s eyes.

“You said you wouldn’t leave! You promised!” The young girl was close to a full on cry now..

“Shh, come here, bub.” The brunette reached out towards Emily.

“You promised!” She leaned back out of Franky’s reach.

It took the younger woman by surprise. It was the first time Emily had refused to let Franky comfort her.

“I know,” The brunette sighed. “I know. But hey, I talked to the person in charge of the show, and she said that I might get to come visit a couple times.” She didn’t want to mention anything specific in case she wasn’t able to win any rewards. “It’s only temporary, then things will be back to normal.” 

“How long will you be gone?” Emily’s initial anger was starting to dissipate. She climbed onto Franky’s lap and buried her face against her shoulder. The brunette could feel the wetness of her tears through the fabric of her t-shirt. 

“Probably five or six weeks.” The brunette knew this was only if she made it to the end. It could be a lot sooner than that if she got eliminated early. She heard Emily let out a small whimper. “Hey, you’re my brave girl, right?” She felt the young girl nod. “And you’ll have Auntie here with you.”

“I’ll pick you up from the Centre as soon as I’m done work, and I’ll be with you in the evenings.” Bridget reached down and rubbed the girl’s back.

“Good thing I taught her how to cook a bit, hey?” Franky thought she heard a small giggle from Emily. “And you’ll get to cook with Liz, and Bea is still going to be there, so maybe we can ask her if you can hang out with her once in a while too.”

“I like her, too.” Emily sounded like she wasn’t crying as hard now.

“Yeah, she’s pretty cool.” The brunette hugged her a bit tighter. “I’m going to call you every night while I’m away too. So you can still talk to me every day.”

“Will you still read me the books?” Emily looked up at Franky.

One day while the brunette had been out, she’d wandered into a used book store, and found the children’s section. She hadn’t gotten to read many books growing up, but she knew what some of the more popular ones had been because she’d heard the other kids talk about them. She’d picked out a few that she thought Emily would enjoy as bedtime stories.

“Yeah, we can read a bit whenever I’m here, or we can save them for when everything is done and I’m back. Either way, we’ll still read them.” The brunette wiped the tears from Emily’s cheeks. 

“Okay.” The young girl still looked very much upset, but she was definitely calmer than before.

Franky kissed the top of the girl’s head. “I love you, bub.”

“I love you, too.” Emily leaned back against the brunette again.

“There’s something else too, love, but it’s a good thing.” Bridget spoke softly. She wasn’t sure if it was a good time or not to bring up her niece’s birthday, but she thought maybe it would help cheer her up, and it was something that Franky would be able to be a part of. “Have you thought about what you’d like to do for your birthday?”

The young girl shook her head. “I just want to spend it with you.”

“You don’t want to have a party? I’ll make a special cake and some fun food. Or have a couple friends for a sleepover?” Franky felt her shake her head again. “Not even Mia? If you guys have fun on Thursday, maybe you’d like to have her over here?”

“Maybe.” Emily played with the brunette’s kite necklace.

“What about Charlotte? I’ve seen you talk to her at our class, and you go to school with her too, right?” When her niece didn’t answer, Bridget sighed. “Alright, we’ll talk about it again later when you’re feeling more up to it.”

“Can we sleep outside?” The young girl picked her head up.

“Outside?” Franky asked.

“Sometimes me and Mom and Dad would all sleep in a tent in the backyard for fun.” The brunette could see some of the light coming back into the girl’s eyes. “We had a fire too.”

The younger woman glanced over at Bridget.

“We can do that if you want, love.” She caught Franky’s questioning look, and gave her a wink.

“Alright, a campout birthday it is then!” The brunette gave her a tight hug and Emily squealed with laughter.

********

Later on that evening, after Emily had gone to bed, Franky found Bridget in the garage looking through some things she’d stored away there.

“What are you looking for, Gidge?” The brunette reached out and caught a long board that was about to fall over.

“This.” The older woman turned and handed Franky a box.

“Six-man tent,” the younger woman read. “Why do you have this?” She let out a small laugh.

“I used to go camping quite a bit. When I was single, if I didn’t go visit Tim, I’d take off and leave the city when I had vacation. Spend a week or two just in the peace and quiet.” The blonde smiled at the memories.

“I didn’t know you liked to camp.” Franky looked down at the box again. “And why a tent for six people if it was just you?”

“It’s got two rooms. I’d set up one as a bedroom, and the other I’d use to store my gear and food. If it rained I’d set up a chair in there and relax with a book.” Bridget studied the brunette’s face. “You didn’t think of me as the outdoors type?”

“It’s not that I thought you weren’t, I just didn’t think you were. If that makes sense.” Franky sat the box down on the floor. “You don’t happen to also have a fire pit hiding somewhere in here too, do you?”

“No, but I’ve been thinking lately anyway that we should get one,” the blonde said as she wrapped her arms around the younger woman’s shoulders.

“Is that so?” Franky pulled her close.

“Yeah, I think it would be nice.” She gave the brunette a soft kiss. “And romantic. We could spend a quiet evening out there. You know, in the winter we could come home from work after a long day and cuddle up in a blanket, have a warm drink by the fire. In the summer we could sit out with a cold beer and roast marshmallows.”

Franky gave a small laugh. “Alright, I’m sold.” She lowered her head and kissed Bridget softly and slowly.

******** 

There was a Mexican takeout restaurant just across the road from the Centre. Franky had tried it many times since she’d worked there, and absolutely loved the food, but this would be Bridget’s first. The couple had come to get everyone’s food while Emily waited back at their usual picnic table by the playground with Mia and Richard.

“You’re going to love it, lots of flavour, just the right amount of heat. Mm.” The brunette shook her head and smiled.

“Sounds amazing, baby“ Bridget stretched up, and gave Franky a kiss on the cheek.

“Number seventy two!” The man sat a bag on the counter.

“That’s us.” The younger woman grabbed their bag of food, and they made their way back across the street.

“Thanks for inviting us to eat with you.” Richard was helping Mia unpack her food.

“Oh no problem, it’s nice to have company,” Bridget said as she sat down on the bench beside Franky. Emily sat with Mia and her dad on the other side.

“She’s bored of me already.” Franky laughed.

“Not true.” Bridget playfully nudged the brunette’s arm.

When they had finished their meals, Emily and Mia went off to play for a few minutes before the class started. The adults sat and chatted at the table.

“So you two met here?” Richard asked as he sipped his coffee.

“Yeah. Tim had gone away on business and I was looking after Em. I saw the poster for Franky’s class here one day and figured it would give her something to do while she was here. Maybe she’d make some friends.The very first day, I get stuck at work, and she ends up having to look after Em for like two extra hours until I could get here.” The blonde looked at Franky and smiled. “When I did finally get here, they’d made dinner for me.”

The brunette put her hand on Bridget’s lower back, and slowly moved her thumb back and forth. “Em helped me test out one of my new recipes.”

“I can’t believe your work made you stay when you had a young kid to go pick up.” He shook his head. “Awful.”

“Well, I work at the prison. It was on lockdown because of a fight, so even though I begged to leave, the governor kept me there until they’d contained all the prisoners. It was the right decision, I just wasn’t thinking that way at the time.” The blonde caught Richard’s look of surprise, and gave a small laugh. “What?”

“Are you a prison guard?”

“Officer. And no. I’m a psychologist. I counsel the women, run some programs, help them work towards getting parole. Things like that.” Bridget was doing her best to focus on the conversation, but Franky’s thumb had found a patch of bare skin on her lower back between the hem of her shirt and the waist of her pants, and her touch was making it hard to concentrate.

“Sounds like rewarding work.” He waved to the girls as they chased each other around one of the play structures.

“It is. It’s always nice to see a success story walk out through the gates.” She felt a muscle twitch in her back, and caught the hint of a smirk on the brunette’s face. “What do you do?”

“Oh, I do IT security for one of the banks here. Nothing overly exciting. It offers some flexibility and options for working from home sometimes, which is nice for looking after Mia. I’m able to stay home with her if she’s sick or something.”

“I’ve been lucky that Franky’s schedule is the way it is. She looks after Em everyday after school.” The blonde nudged Franky softly with her shoulder.

“You make it sound like work, Gidge. I love it. I don’t know what I did before I had her there with me.” The brunette watched Emily playing. “She’s a really good cook for her age and she learns fast.”

“Do you think she’ll be a chef?” Richard finished his coffee, and placed the empty cup in the trash bag on the table.

“Maybe. She’s mentioned it before but she’s also talked about being an artist, a doctor, and an astronaut, so we’ll see.” Franky gave a shrug and the three of them laughed.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened to her parents?” He was prepared for them to not give him an answer, but he was curious.

“Her mom had cancer. She was diagnosed when Em was three. She fought it, but it was pretty aggressive, and she passed away about a year after that. Her dad, my brother, was killed in a car accident a few months ago.” Bridget sighed.

“I’m sorry, that’s a lot for someone her age. Mia’s mother lives in Perth. Her job took her there after we split. We gave Mia the choice of who she wanted to live with and she chose me. Her mom is great, but she’s more career oriented. I think kids can sense that kind of stuff. She comes to visit a few times a year.”

“It’s obvious you care about her a lot,” Franky said as she checked her watch. “I have to go inside and get some things ready. I’ll see you guys in a bit.” She gave Bridget a quick kiss then headed inside.

********

The last of the students had left, and Emily had gone with Mia. Bridget had made sure Richard had both hers and Franky’s numbers just in case. She thought the young girl would be fine, but she wouldn’t be surprised if she got a phone call to say goodnight.

“Well, I’d say brownie night was a success.” Bridget took a bite out of one that Franky had made. She’d opted to add some mint flavouring. “Mmm, these are really good.”

“Of course they are.” The brunette gave her a wink as she walked by each station checking to make sure the ovens were all off, and lowering the blinds. As she passed by the door, she quietly closed it, and turned the lock. The blonde was oblivious, still enjoying her brownie, and checking something on her phone.

Franky wrapped her arms around Bridget from behind, and placed a kiss on the side of her neck, then another one a bit lower.

The blonde felt her body relax as her eyes fluttered closed. She let out a small hum of content as she focused on the feeling of the younger woman’s lips on her skin. After a few seconds, she turned in Franky’s arms so they were face to face. Bridget couldn’t help but let her eyes flick down to the brunette’s lips for a split second.

“You’ve been cheeky ever since I got here tonight,” she said as she let her fingers caress the back of Franky’s neck.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The brunette lowered her head and gave the blonde a small kiss.

“You were touching my back when we were talking to Richard after supper.” Bridget watched the younger woman’s smirk grow.

“Mhm.” Franky’s lips were next to her ear. “And you thought about it all evening, didn’t you?”

“Yes.” The blonde let her head fall to the side, giving the younger woman more access.

“Do you remember what you told me you wanted?” The brunette nipped at the skin on Bridget’s collarbone. The only response she got was a quiet moan. “Because I do.” Franky turned them around, and backed the blonde towards the counter. “I remember one night, when you had your hand down my pants, and your fingers inside me, you told me that you wanted me to fuck you right here.” She emphasized the last words by pushing her hips against the other woman, pinning her against the counter.

Bridget took in a sharp breath. “Fuck.”

Franky reached down and put a hand behind each of the blonde’s thighs, lifting her up onto the counter. She felt Bridget’s legs wrap around her hips. The blonde pulled the snaps open on Franky’s jacket to find that she was only wearing her bra underneath.

The brunette gave her a smile. “It’s a warm night.”

Franky went to shrug the jacket off her shoulders when Bridget reached out to stop her. “Leave it on,” she mumbled against the younger woman’s lips.

“Kinky.” Franky nipped at her bottom lip. She kissed the blonde hard and deep as her fingers found the button on the older woman’s pants.

Bridget wiggled her hips, allowing the brunette to remove her pants and underwear. She felt Franky’s hands slide down the length of her legs, and heard the clunks as her shoes hit the floor along with her clothes. She pulled the other woman close again, and closed her eyes, letting their first kiss replay in her mind as Franky reconnected their lips. If she hadn’t stopped it, this is most likely where they would have ended up that night. The blonde dug her fingers into the brunette’s hips as she felt the younger woman’s fingers brush over her clit.

“Baby, please.” In all of the times she’d let this fantasy play out, she’d never pictured it as something slow and sweet. It was always fast, noisy, and full of lust, with a sense of urgency. She pushed her hips forward against the brunette again, and Franky knew what she was asking for. The blonde groaned against the other woman’s lips as she felt two fingers sink deep inside her and curl, hitting that perfect spot.

Franky loved taking her time with Bridget. There were nights where they gladly spent hours tangled in bed, learning each other’s bodies. Every once in a while though, this was what they both needed. She set a steady pace, pushing her fingers in a bit harder than usual, but judging by the sounds the blonde was making, she was doing something right. The brunette felt Bridget unbutton her pants, and fingertips slide down her lower stomach and into her underwear.

The blonde ran her fingers over Franky’s clit a couple times, then, feeling the wetness coating the brunette’s folds, she easily slid her fingers inside.

“Fuck, Gidge.” Franky broke their kiss for just a second as the blonde’s fingers entered her. There was a moment where she felt her leg muscles quiver, and she reached out with her free hand to brace herself against the counter. As she connected their lips once more, she felt Bridget’s arm tighten around her, and her nails dig into her skin.

The blonde found the spot inside her fiancée that made the muscles in her back tighten when she pushed her fingers against it. Once she found it, she stayed there, and let her palm rub against Franky’s clit.

“Babe, I’m close. That feels so good.” The brunette was breathing hard as she did her best to keep up the movement of her fingers inside of Bridget, as her own orgasm was fast approaching.

“Me too.” The blonde nipped at Franky’s neck and felt a flutter around her fingers. She knew it wouldn’t take long for either of them. Her own orgasm had been steadily building, and hearing and feeling the brunette’s reactions to her movements was speeding everything up.

She lingered on Franky’s neck. She was a little more aggressive than usual, and she could feel the brunette tightening around her fingers. Bridget pressed a bit harder inside the brunette, and it only took a couple more seconds before the younger woman’s orgasm hit her and she let out a loud moan.

Franky knew she was seconds away, and she wanted the blonde to finish with her. Bridget knew all her weak spots and she was hitting them at the same time, making it hard for her to concentrate. The brunette felt more pressure inside her and knew she couldn’t hold on any longer. She held onto the blonde tightly, and couldn’t help the moan that escaped her lips as Bridget’s fingers curled inside her once more, pushing her over the edge.

The blonde felt Franky’s body shake, and it only took a couple seconds for Bridget to follow her.

The brunette was the first to come down from her orgasmic high. Her legs felt like jelly, but she’d managed to stay standing. She held onto the older woman, rubbing her back, and listening to her body calm down. Franky placed a few kisses on Bridget’s neck, then on her lips, as the blonde let out a contented sigh.

Bridget slowly removed her fingers from inside the brunette, and felt Franky do the same. As she pulled her hand out of the younger woman’s pants, she left a trail of wetness behind. Franky felt the coolness on her skin as the air hit the damp area, and gave a small laugh.

“Sorry, baby.” The blonde gave her an apologetic smile.

“Don’t be silly.” The younger woman reached into a drawer beside them and handed Bridget a clean towel to wipe her hand. When she was finished, Franky took it and wiped her own hand and stomach, then threw it into the laundry bag at the end of the counter. “Besides, now we have an excuse to take a shower together when we get home.” She gave the blonde another kiss, and Bridget giggled against her lips.

The brunette gathered the older woman’s clothes for her, and once they were both dressed again, they gathered their things. They were just leaving the classroom when Liz walked by.

“You two enjoy the rest of your evening.” She gave Franky a knowing smile as she continued down the hall, and turned towards the exit.

“I thought you said yours was the last class of the day.” Bridget turned to the brunette.

“Yeah in this section it is. She never stays here and works late. She takes it home and does it while she watches TV in the evening.” Franky was still looking to the end of the corridor where Liz had disappeared around the corner.

“Where’s her office?” The blonde looked behind her.

“Next door down on the opposite side.” The brunette reached back inside the door, and turned off the lights.

“And we were not quiet.” Bridget had a guilty smile on her face.

Franky just shook her head, and let out a small laugh. “Let’s go home, babe.”

********

The brunette arrived a bit early to work the next morning. Richard had texted Bridget the night before and said he’d drop off Emily at the Centre once the girls had eaten breakfast. She wasn’t sure exactly what time that would be, but she was hoping to get some extra work done before that, so they could go home early. The days of her being able to spend extra time with the young girl were coming to an end soon, and she wanted to make the most of what they had left.

It wasn’t long before she noticed Liz standing in the door of her office. “Hey, look, I’m sorry about last night. I thought everyone else had gone home.”

Liz shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. I’m not upset, but that is why I’m here to talk to you.” She walked over and sat on the couch.

Franky was glad she wasn’t upset, but she’d known Liz long enough to know when she was about to say something serious. This was definitely one of those times. She turned her chair around so she could give the other woman her full attention.

“I’m glad that you’re happy, and in love, and still…passionate… about each other, but you have to be careful, especially now. There are some people who’ll look for anything to dig up some dirt or scandal about you once that show airs, and I would hate to see them twist something around and make you look bad.” Liz reached out and took the brunette’s hand. “Don’t try something like sneaking her on set for some fun or anything, even if you think no one’s there.”

“Liz, I’m no-“

“I know you’re a smart girl, love. I know you are. But people don’t always think straight in the heat of the moment. That’s all I’m saying. I love you, and I don’t want a split second misjudgement to ruin this chance for you.” She held Franky’s stare until the brunette nodded.

“Okay. You’re right.” The brunette knew Liz only had her best interest in mind.

She stood, and gave Franky’s shoulder a squeeze on her way out.

It was about mid-morning when Richard dropped Emily off.

“Franky!” The young girl came rushing into the classroom followed by Mia and her dad. She wrapped her arms around Franky’s waist.

“Hey, bub, did you have a good night?” Franky asked as she reached out and took Emily’s bag from Richard.

“Yeah! Their couch turns into a bed and me and Mia got to sleep on it and watch movies until we fell asleep!”

“That sounds like fun! Why don’t you put your things in my office?” She handed the young girl the bag she was holding. “Everything was okay? No problems?” Franky asked after Emily was out of earshot.

“Yeah, no, all good. They seemed to have a good time, so I’m sure they’ll want to do it again.” He gave the brunette a smile. “She talked about you and Bridget a lot. She adores you two.”

Franky didn’t know what to say, so she simply nodded.

“We should be going and let you get back to your work.” He shook the brunette’s hand, and the two young girls said their goodbyes.

“I’m almost done for the day, so what do you say we take off early, and we can make a special dessert to have after supper tonight?” Franky watched as Emily’s eyes lit up. “Okay, you look through this book and pick out whatever you want, and we’ll take the recipe home and make it.”

She placed a large binder of recipes she’d collected over the years on the table. Every so often as she was finishing her last bit of work, the brunette looked over and watched as Emily flipped through the pages and carefully considered what she wanted to make. She was definitely going to miss this.


	54. Chapter 54

"Em, have you decided who you want to invite to your birthday? You'll need to ask them soon." Bridget asked as they ate their supper. It had been a long week, and she was glad the weekend was upon them.

"Mia, Charlotte, Vera, and Liz." Emily answered without thinking.

The blonde was impressed. She'd asked her niece a couple of times during the week if she had decided and the answer was always 'no'.

"I don't think Liz and Vera will want to sleep in the tent all night, but you can invite them to the barbeque." Franky took a bite of her supper.

"Are you and Auntie going to sleep in the tent with us?" the young girl asked, looking excitedly from the brunette to her aunt.

Franky looked at the other woman. They hadn't discussed the possibility that they'd be sleeping outside as well.

"The tent has two rooms. Franky and I can sleep in one, and you girls can sleep in the other one." Bridget winked at the brunette. She hadn't slept in a tent in years, but she thought it would be a nice experience to share with Franky.

"Will you tell us scary stories?" Emily was almost bouncing in her chair.

"You don't think that would make you too scared?" Franky loved a good scary movie, but she had visions of the young girl spending the next week wanting to sleep in their bed because she'd had a nightmare.

Emily shook her head, as Franky and the blonde exchanged looks.

********

It was another warm summer evening, and Franky was adding a couple more pieces of wood into the fire pit. It had been delivered earlier that week, and had been put to use almost every night. They'd also bought a semi-circular outdoor couch that wrapped about halfway around it, and ended up spending the evenings lounging on it until they went to bed.

Bridget had helped Emily make phone calls to invite people to her party the next weekend, and after they had all spent some time outside, the blonde had taken her niece inside to put her to bed.

It wasn't long before the brunette heard the door slide open, and Bridget's soft footsteps making their way across the patio stones to the couch. She felt something cold on the side of her neck that made her jump a bit and take in a sharp breath.

"Beer?" The blonde giggled as she held out a bottle to Franky.

"Thanks, babe." The brunette rubbed the cold spot on her neck.

"I put them in the freezer when I came in to get Em a drink earlier." She gave the younger woman a kiss on the cheek as she sat down beside her.

They still didn't drink around Emily, or keep it anywhere that she would see it, but once in a while, they'd have a drink after she'd gone to bed.

Franky opened her bottle and threw the cap into the fire. It was only when she looked up that she finally noticed what Bridget was wearing. It was a silky light green robe with a leaf and tropical flower print. The brunette loved how it looked on the older woman; how the material seemed to hug her body, but flow loosely over her curves at the same time.

"You're not very subtle, baby." The blonde had a knowing smirk on her face as she took a mouthful of her beer.

Franky laughed. "I wasn't trying to be." She studied the label on the bottle in her hand. "I always pictured you as more of a wine lover."

"In the winter I love curling up under a blanket with a nice glass or wine, but in the summer, there's nothing like a cold beer on the patio under the stars. It's pretty good with leftover take-out too." Bridget smiled as she tilted her head back to look at the night sky.

"I've never slept outside in a tent before." The younger woman stared into the flames.

"It's fun," the blonde said, pulling her legs up onto the seat and cuddling in next to Franky.

"Tell me about when you went camping. Did you go all survivor and catch your own food to cook on the fire?" The brunette laughed at the picture in her head.

Bridget shoved her arm playfully. "You know what my cooking skills were like when we met. What do you think?" Franky gave another small laugh and shrugged. The blonde continued. "I used to buy those camping meals where all you have to do is add boiling water and wait a few minutes."

"Gidge! You didn't!" The brunette shook her head and laughed.

"I did! They tasted pretty good actually." She took another drink from the bottle.

"If you enjoy the taste of soggy cardboard." Franky knew they weren't really that bad, but she was enjoying giving Bridget a hard time.

"Well, I didn't have someone to show me how to cook anything." The blonde held the younger woman's gaze for a moment. "Besides, I don't see you out hunting for our food either."

"I do hunt for our food." The brunette leaned forward and picked up the bag of marshmallows and the roasting fork. "In fact, I hunted these marshmallows."

"What?!" Bridget let out a loud laugh.

"See, they used to be in aisle six, with the crisps, but now they're in aisle eight, with the candy. So I had to track them down. When I rounded the corner, we locked eyes, and I knew they were afraid. They sensed the hunter in me." Franky was doing her best to seem serious as she placed a marshmallow onto the fork, but she could see the blonde out of the corner of her eye, about to burst into laughter. "They tried to run; it was a valiant effort, really. In the end though, they were no match, and I threw them into the cart with the rest of my bounty to bring home."

The brunette had managed to get through her story before she joined in with Bridget's laughter. It was a sound she'd never get tired of hearing. She sat watching the flames, and slowly turning her marshmallow until it was a golden brown.

"For you." Franky held the fork out to the blonde. "If you pull gently, you can get the crispy outside layer off, then cook the inside again."

Bridget reached out and slowly pulled the browned layer off the marshmallow. "This is like the perfect metaphor for some people. Hard on the outside, warm and gooey on the inside." She hummed with content as she ate the treat.

"Like me," the brunette said as she toasted the next layer.

"I never thought that." The older woman rested her head against Franky's shoulder.

"No?" She felt Bridget shake her head.

"I just saw the warm and gooey part." The blonde reached out and took the rest of the marshmallow from the fork and ate it.

Franky laid the fork on the small table they'd brought outside, and settled back into the couch. She lifted her arm and put it around Bridget's shoulders, pulling her in close. She took the blonde's left hand in hers and ran her thumb back and forth over the other woman's knuckles, then finally over her engagement ring.

"Did you ever plan your wedding when you were a kid?" the brunette asked softly.

"Kind of. I played pretend with my friends and we'd act out a wedding. I thought I'd have a handsome husband, and a beautiful dress, and a huge cake." She looked up at Franky. "What about you?"

The brunette shook her head. "My parents fought all the time. For a long time, I thought that was what it meant to be married to someone. Then when I got older I just wanted to be on my own. Then I met you." She gave Bridget a soft kiss.

"I'm glad you met me." The blonde smiled. "Have you thought about what you want for ours?"

"I want Liz there. Other than that I just want you to have whatever makes you happy." She leaned forward and threw another piece of wood on the fire, then settled back again.

"I think we should invite Liz and Vera, and Emily of course. What about some of your friends? Allie or Bea or Boomer?" She knew that the brunette didn't see her friends very much anymore, but they had been through a lot together.

"Booms would cry through the whole thing." Franky gave a small laugh. "But yeah, it'd be nice to have them there too. What do you think about Will? I know we're not really that close with him, but he helped me a lot when I was in Wentworth. Not just with the attack, but he looked out for me the whole time, gave me some good advice."

"I think it would be nice if he were there, yeah." Bridget had thought, more than once, that if Will hadn't stopped Juice's crew that night, she wouldn't have the brunette with her anymore. "We can get a cake, have a meal. We should have it right here in the backyard." For the first time, the blonde had a clear picture of it in her mind. They'd get married in the afternoon sun, have supper, then share the evening with their friends in the backyard of their home, decorated with lights.

"Have you thought about when?" Franky didn't know if it was too soon to bring up the topic of a date. She didn't want the blonde to feel pressured or rushed.

"Baby, I would have married you right then and there on Christmas Day if that's what you'd wanted." Bridget lifted herself up, and settled onto the brunette's lap, straddling her legs. She felt Franky's hands run down her sides, and come to rest on her hips. "Let's get through the show, then we can start making plans."

The younger woman nodded. "Sounds good, babe." 

The blonde giggled as Franky pulled her closer, and she felt her lips brush against her neck.

Bridget sat up straight, putting some space between her and the brunette. She watched Franky's eyes slowly scan the length of her body, as her hands moved over the blonde's thighs.

The brunette pushed aside the silky fabric that laid over Bridget's legs so she could run her hands over bare skin. After a moment, Franky made eye contact with her.

"You're so beautiful." She raised her hand, and brushed her thumb over the blonde's cheekbone.

Franky moved her hand around to the back of Bridget's neck. She pulled her in for a deep kiss, and felt the blonde push her hips against her, not once, but twice. She moved her hand from Bridget's hip, feeling for the tie on her robe. When she found it, she pulled, and it easily came undone.

"Franky!" The blonde smiled against the younger woman's lips.

"What? It must have been a faulty knot; just fell open." She snaked her hand between their bodies, and inside Bridget's robe.

The blonde leaned back, letting the fabric fall open slightly. She watched as Franky drank in the sight before her.

The brunette saw the shadows from the fire dance over Bridget's skin. The older woman wasn't wearing a bra, which Franky expected, but she wasn't expecting the dark purple lacy underwear. “You’re not being very subtle either, babe.” She smiled and reached out, lightly running the backs of her index and middle fingers over the patch of skin between the blonde's navel and the top of her underwear.

Bridget let out a shaky breath and felt her eyes flutter closed for a second. "No fair, you know my weak spots."

"You clearly know mine too," Franky murmured as the blonde started placing kisses down the side of her neck, occasionally leaving a small nip, then soothing it with her tongue.

The brunette could feel the muscles in Bridget’s stomach tense every few seconds. She rested her head against the older woman’s shoulder, and let herself just enjoy the feel of the blonde’s lips against her skin while she touched her.

After a couple of moments, Bridget felt the brunette’s fingers slide lower. She let out a small moan when she felt the slight pressure brush over her clit. She loved that Franky could make slow and gentle feel just as intense as fast and passionate. The blonde pushed her hips into the younger woman again. It wasn’t long before she felt the brunette turn her head and began to work her way down her chest.

Franky took one of Bridget’s nipples in her mouth and sucked on it gently, as she let her tongue run over it. The blonde felt a flutter in her core. The younger woman worked her way across to the other nipple. 

“Wait, baby. Stop for a second.” Bridget felt the brunette’s hand still, and her mouth leave her breast.

“You okay, babe?” Franky gave her a soft kiss on her jaw as she studied the older woman’s face. 

“Yeah, I just need a minute.” She took a deep breath and calmed herself. Bridget smiled down at the brunette then lowered her head to give her a slow kiss. “Okay.” 

Franky once again resumed the movements of her fingers against the blonde’s underwear. She moved her lips this time to the sensitive spot under the older woman’s ear while she let her free hand roam up and down her side. It was only another minute before she heard Bridget groan softly.

“Wait just a second, baby.” The blonde was breathing a bit harder now.

“You sure you’re okay?” Franky brushed her nose against Bridget’s cheek then left a small kiss there.

“Yeah. I just don’t want to come yet.” She gave the brunette a quick kiss on the lips and saw the questioning look on her face, then the start of her cocky grin. “It just feels really good. I want to make it last.”

“That’s the problem, yeah? The better it feels, the less time it lasts.” Franky gave her another kiss. “I’ll go slow, and you tell me what you need, alright?”

“Mhm,” Bridget hummed as she connected their lips again.

The brunette kissed her slowly as she moved her hand down further, this time running her fingers along the older woman’s folds. Even through her underwear, Franky could feel that she was soaked. For a second she wanted to ask if the blonde would let her take them off, but then decided against it. She figured that would only speed things up rather than prolong them.

Every couple of minutes Bridget would signal that she needed a break, so during those times, Franky would let her hands roam over any bit of bare skin she could find that she thought would be “safe”. She’d rub the blonde’s back or sides, or run her hands over her thighs, careful to avoid her stomach, chest or hip bones, as she knew they were quite sensitive. She felt like this kept them more in the moment than simply stopping and doing nothing for a few seconds.

Bridget’s requests for pauses were coming more frequently now. The brunette was impressed though; the other woman had already managed to hold out for longer than she thought she would.

“Baby…” The blonde felt Franky stop once more, and rest both hands on her hips.

Bridget felt the brunette deepen their kiss. She knew that Franky’s intentions were to make out a bit while she had a break, but she’d been teased so much at this point, that everything was starting to feel too good. She was more aware than usual of how soft the younger woman’s lips felt as they glided over her own, and her mind flashed back to what they felt like when they were pressed against her clit. As that thought entered her head, she felt Franky take her bottom lip between her teeth and give a tug. She let out a groan and the brunette repeated her actions. 

Bridget knew she was in trouble when Franky bit her lip again. The first time had sent a shock straight to her stomach, and when she felt the slight pain for the second time, she knew there was no point in fighting her orgasm. Her body shook against the brunette’s, and she felt the younger woman tighten her hold on her, and pull her closer. The blonde moved her hips against the other woman. She felt Franky’s lips on her neck, leaving harder than usual bites, and each sensation seemed to trigger another wave of pleasure through her body. 

The brunette stayed with her, reading Bridget’s body like she’d done so many times before, and when it finally settled, she simply pulled the older woman closer and rubbed her back while she caught her breath.

“Fuck.” It was the only thing the blonde could think to mumble as her brain started to clear.

Franky smiled to herself. “Also, the longer you tease your body, the more intense it is.” She placed a kiss on the side of Bridget’s neck.

“I know, but…” The blonde didn’t finish her sentence, but simply stayed with her full weight resting against the younger woman, enjoying the backrub.

After a couple moments, the brunette felt Bridget trying to untie her pants. She reached between them, gently took the blonde’s hand, and placed it back around her waist.

“I want to make you feel good too, baby.” Bridget mumbled next to Franky’s ear.

“I know, babe, and you do. I just want to hold you though, okay?” She knew that the blonde liked to be held and cuddled after sex, and tonight in particular, it had seemed pretty intense for her. 

“Okay. I just wanted to return the favour.” Bridget sighed as she buried her head against Franky’s neck.

The brunette smiled. “You know what one of my favourite things is?” She felt Bridget shake her head. “Being able to make you feel like you did tonight and watching you enjoy the things you let me do with you.” She wrapped her arms around the blonde a bit tighter. “So don’t worry about not always ‘returning the favour’.”

“Okay.” Bridget was quiet for a moment. “I don’t want you to think I’m a pillow princess or something.”

Franky couldn’t help but laugh. “I definitely don’t think you are. Did someone call you that before?”

“Julia,” the blonde mumbled.

“Fuck Julia.” She kissed Bridget’s temple, and held her close. Every time she learned something new about the blonde’s ex, it made her want to punch her square in the face. Franky thought the woman must have been a huge ass to not see or care what she had in someone like Bridget.

“This is really nice, baby.” The blonde felt like she had melted into the younger woman.

“Mmm, it is.” Franky wasn’t sure how long they’d sat there, but she’d held Bridget until the fire had burned down to just embers. “Babe?”

“Mm?” 

The brunette smiled. She loved sleepy Bridget. “Let’s continue this in bed.”

The blonde lifted her head and looked at Franky with half-closed eyes before giving her a small kiss. She lifted herself from the younger woman’s lap, and took her hand. “Coming?” she asked when Franky didn’t stand up right away.

“I’m just going to throw some water on this and use the bathroom, then I’ll be in.” She smiled at Bridget.

“Don’t be long.” The blonde leaned down and gave her another kiss.

“I won’t be. Promise.” Franky watched as the older woman disappeared through the patio door.

The brunette grabbed the garden hose and quickly doused the remaining embers with water. When she was satisfied that they were out, she gathered their empty beer bottles and the bag of marshmallows and headed for the house. She tossed the bag onto the counter, closed and locked the patio door behind her, and turned off the outside lights. She gently placed the bottles into the recycle bin, careful not to make too much noise, then made her way to the bathroom.

When she entered the bedroom, the only light that the blonde had left on was the one on Franky’s bedside table. It cast a gentle glow over the bed, and she could see that Bridget hadn’t bothered with pyjamas or even to pull the covers over her. She had simply taken off her robe and underwear, pushed the blankets to the bottom of the bed, and laid down.

The brunette quietly closed their bedroom door and turned the lock. She tossed her clothes into the laundry basket, and crawled into bed behind the blonde. She pulled the blankets up over them, and Bridget immediately turned over and moved in close against her.

“I love you so much.” The blonde murmured, half asleep.

“I love you too, babe.” The younger woman wrapped her arms around her a bit tighter.

********

They’d had a lazy family weekend. They’d spent time at the Lakes Reserve, made a trip to the aquarium since Franky had missed out the first time, and spent the evenings around the fire. As a treat, they’d decided to get take out for supper Sunday night. Franky had gone to pick it up, and Emily was outside playing on the patio while Bridget set the table. 

She heard a knock at the door. She wasn’t expecting anyone, but she thought it might have been Vera, Liz, or one of Franky’s friends dropping by for an unexpected visit. 

“G’day.” She opened the door with a smile on her face, ready to greet whoever was there. Her smile quickly faded though when she saw the woman standing in front of her. 

“Bridget, it’s been a while.” Julia gave her a warm smile. “I brought this. I hope it’s still your favorite.” She held up the bottle of wine she had brought with her.

The blonde shook her head slightly to clear it. “What, uh, what are you doing here?”

“I’m in town on business, and I thought it would be nice to catch up. You know, have a drink, see where it goes.” Her ex’s smile changed from warm to cocky, and not in the way that Bridget enjoyed when Franky did it.

“We haven’t spoken since we broke up. Why would you think-”

“Come on, we both know the spark was still there. I was just under a lot of pressure at the time.” Julia took a small step closer, but the blonde didn’t move. “You’re not going to let me in?”

Bridget simply shook her head. She was standing her ground, but she hated that after all this time, the woman in front of her still had the ability to make her feel uncomfortable. The front of the house was shielded from the street and driveway by a row of shrubs and bushes inside a short fence, but she’d heard Franky’s car pull up and park, and she knew it would only be a few seconds before the brunette was there with her.

Franky came in through the gate and briefly took notice of Bridget standing in the doorway, talking to a woman she didn’t recognize. “Sorry it took a few minutes longer. I made sure they remembered the extra chili sauce this time though.” The brunette came to a stop when the woman didn’t step aside so she could get past her into the house.

“Still haven’t learned how to cook, I see.” Julia gave a small chuckle, then turned her attention to Franky. “How much is it?” Bridget opened her mouth to speak, but her ex cut her off. “It’s fine really, it’s on me, we can share it over the wine. It’ll be a nice evening.”

The brunette wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, but she knew whatever it was, she didn’t like it. She looked at Bridget then back to the woman standing in front of her. She could read her fiancée well enough to know she was feeling uncomfortable.

“And who are you?” Franky stood at her full height now, and locked eyes with the woman.

“I’d suggest being a bit more friendly; it might earn you better tips.” Julia reached into her bag and pulled out her wallet. “So how much for the food?”

“Jul-” Bridget took a step forward in an attempt to intervene, but Julia simply put out her arm and redirected the blonde to the side again.

“I’m not the fucking delivery driver, and don’t fucking touch her again.” It took Franky a moment to register what Bridget had been trying to say. This was Julia, the ex that the blonde had told her about. “Julia.” The brunette could feel the angry heat inside of her.

Bridget knew she had to step in. She wanted her ex to leave before the brunette did something she’d regret and end up with assault charges again.

“Julia, this is my fiancée, Franky. She lives here.” The blonde cleared her throat. “I think you should go now.” 

Julia looked the brunette up and down. It was the same judgemental look Franky had gotten her whole life. “My mistake. I didn’t realize your standards had dropped so low.”

Just as the brunette opened her mouth, Emily came around the corner from the backyard. She ran up to Franky, and threw her arms around her waist.

“Hey, bub.” The brunette reached down and ran her hand over the young girl’s blonde hair. “Can you do me a favor? Take this inside and set out the food on the table? We’ll be in to eat in a minute.” She handed the bag to Emily, who quickly took it and headed inside.

Franky studied Julia’s face as the woman watched Emily walk down the hall and turn towards the kitchen. She could sense the dislike for the young girl that Bridget had talked about. 

“She asked you to leave, so you should go.” The brunette crossed her arms over her chest.

“Very well. I’ll leave this for you.” She handed the bottle of wine to the blonde. “Some of us have manners.” She glared at Franky on her way off the porch.

As soon as she was out of sight, Bridget took the bottle of wine by the neck, and threw it as hard as she could into the bushes. It disappeared through the leaves, followed a second later by the sound of the bottle shattering against the wooden fence. 

The blonde’s actions had startled Franky, and she jumped slightly at the sound of the glass breaking. Neither of them spoke, but silent tears fell down the older woman’s cheeks. Bridget turned and walked into the house and turned not towards the kitchen, but the opposite way towards their bedroom.

Franky followed her inside, closing and locking the front door behind her. She wasn’t taking any chances that Julia would decide to come back.

“Is Auntie okay?” Emily asked when the brunette came around the corner.

“Yeah, bub. She’s just upset.” Franky picked up one of the containers, and started plating the food for the young girl. “This is yours. You start eating and we’ll join you soon, okay?”

The brunette slowly opened the bedroom door. She saw Bridget standing with her arms wrapped around herself, staring out the window. 

“Babe?” Franky said quietly as she approached her. The brunette didn’t reach out for her. She knew from her own experience that having been physically hurt by someone could make you not want to be touched by anyone, and the blonde had just faced someone who had been abusive towards her in the past. She searched for more words, but couldn’t find them, so in the end she settled on just letting Bridget know she was there, and waiting until either the blonde spoke to her or told her she wanted to be left alone. 

Bridget wiped her cheeks. “It just makes me so mad. The fact that after over three years she can just show up at my door like nothing happened and think that after a bottle of wine we’ll end up fucking again.”

“Is that what she said?” Franky scoffed and shook her head.

“I believe her exact words were that ‘it would be nice to catch up, you know, have a drink, and see where it goes’. So yeah.” The blonde sniffed and wiped her cheeks again. “She treated you like shit. I don’t know how I went so long without seeing how she looks down on people, how she really treats them. I’m so sorry she did that, baby.”

“You got nothing to apologize for, Gidge. She’s just a bitch.” The brunette honestly didn’t give a fuck what the woman thought about her. She was angry at how she had treated Bridget, and the effect she was still having on her. “Can I give you a hug?”

“Yeah.” The blonde nodded, and immediately felt Franky’s arms around her.

They stood there with Bridget’s head resting against the brunette’s shoulder; her face nuzzled into her neck. Franky gently swayed them back and forth, and without realizing it, hummed a slow, quiet song that had popped into her head.

“That’s pretty, baby. What is it?” the blonde asked when the younger woman was quiet again.

“Don’t know. Something that was on the radio when I was driving back.” Franky kissed the top of her head.

Bridget sighed. “We should go eat.” She lifted her head from the brunette’s shoulder.

“Okay.” Franky brushed away the last few tears on the blonde’s cheeks.

********

“Out like a light.” The brunette let herself fall onto the outdoor couch beside Bridget. She’d just returned from putting Emily to bed.

“She was pretty tired.” The older woman pulled her legs up onto the couch, and cuddled into Franky’s side, resting her head against her chest. 

The brunette wrapped one arm around her, pulling her close. With her free hand, she lightly ran her fingers through Bridget’s hair, earning a contented hum.

“Why did you ask if you could hug me earlier?” The question had been on the blonde’s mind since supper.

“I thought it might make you feel better.” Franky rested her cheek against the top of the older woman’s head.

“No, I mean why did you ask? You know you don’t have to ask permission to touch me.” Bridget liked that she could hear the brunette’s heartbeat when they were both quiet.

Franky sighed. “Because of what you’ve told me happened with her; that she’d hit you before. From personal experience, when those memories come up for me like they did today for you, I don’t usually want anyone touching me. If I ever ran into my mother somewhere, I wouldn’t want a hug and to be told it’ll be okay. I’d want a punching bag I could beat until my knuckles bled.”

The blonde’s response was a simple kiss on the exposed skin of Franky’s shoulder.

“When she moved you aside, I wanted to strangle her right there on the front porch.” The brunette shook her head. She could still see it clearly in her mind. She remembered how Bridget didn’t seem surprised at all. “She hit you more than the two times you told me about, didn’t she?”

“No, she ju-” Bridget paused. “It was just those two times.”

“She just what?” Franky brushed her thumb against the blonde’s back, but the other woman remained silent. As much as she did and didn’t want to know what had happened between Bridget and her ex, she had promised herself that she wouldn’t force her to talk about it. The blonde had allowed her all the time she needed to open up about her mother and things that had happened to her, and she was grateful for that. She wanted to give her the same courtesy.

“Are you sure you want to know this stuff?” Bridget remembered how upset Franky had been when she’d told her that Julia had hit her.

“If you want to tell me.” The brunette watched the flames dance. She could feel the other woman thinking.

“She was aggressive. She only ever actually hit me those two times, but she’d do stuff like she did today. She’d push me out of the way, or grab my arm and pull me towards her. Things like that.” When she had finished talking, she could hear that Franky’s heart rate had picked up significantly.

“You know that’s not right, Gidge.” She felt Bridget pull away and sit up so she could look her in the eye. Franky noticed the older woman couldn’t quite make eye contact with her. “Gidge?”

The blonde finally looked up and nodded, but she still didn’t make eye contact. Instead, she looked out over the fire towards the fence. 

There was one more question on the brunette’s mind, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to ask it.

“Babe.” She reached out and took Bridget’s hand in hers. She studied each one of her fingers, rubbing her thumb along the length of them. 

“Ask whatever you want to ask.” The blonde knew the younger woman was struggling.

“Did she ever…” Franky looked at the fire then back at Bridget’s hand. “Did she ever force you to sleep with her?”

The brunette had played with the wording, but her fiancée knew what she was really asking.

“No, but…” The blonde needed a moment to think before she finished her answer. “I knew better than to say no when she was in one of her moods.”

“I will fucking kill her!” Franky was up and pacing back and forth with her hands behind her head.

“Baby.” Bridget stood and took hold of one of the brunette’s arms, guiding her back to the couch. “Sit with me.”

The younger woman let out a breath and reluctantly sat down. She was quiet for a moment, looking down at her hands, before she spoke.

“Don’t ever do that with me.” She looked up to meet the blonde’s gaze. “If you don’t want to have sex, don’t just go along with me. Just tell me to stop and it’s done.”

“I know, baby. And I promise I will tell you. I’ve honestly never wanted to say ‘no’ to you before though.” Bridget took one of the younger woman’s hands. “I’m glad Em doesn’t seem to remember her.”

Franky’s head snapped up. “Did she do something to her?”

“Other than complain about her and ignore her? No. Em and her parents lived here for a couple months when she was about three months old. Well, they technically still lived in Sydney, but Tim had to be here for two months for a project and Sarah and Em came with him. They rented a little apartment near here. I used to babysit Em for them sometimes. Nothing major like overnight or anything, but just for a few hours so they could have a break and go to dinner or a movie.” Bridget smiled thinking of the memory. “She was a good baby. Always wanted to be held though, but I didn’t mind. If I could, I’d sit on the couch with her. She’d snuggle in and sleep with her little head resting against my shoulder.” The blonde reached up and touched the spot. “If I had things I had to do, I’d put her in her carrier, they had this sling wrap one that held her close, and I’d go around the house with her in that. Julia wanted nothing to do with her. As soon as they’d drop her off, she’d ask how long I had to look after her. If she cried, she’d tell me to shut her up. Then when she got a bit older and they’d come to visit, that was a whole other issue.” Bridget shook her head. “She’d complain Em was too loud, or yell at her for touching something or making a mess when she ate. That’s just kids, yeah? They’re noisy, messy and sticky for the first few years.” The older woman smiled again, and gave a small laugh, as did Franky.

The brunette watched her. Bridget lit up when she talked about her niece. 

“What?” The blonde gave an almost shy smile when she realized Franky was still watching her.

“Nothing.” The brunette shook her head. “Just picturing you with baby Em.” She watched the older woman’s smile grow. 

“I can’t imagine what she was thinking when she saw Em here today.” Bridget sighed. “Actually, yeah, I probably can.” 

“How did you even end up with someone like her? I mean, she’s a total bitch.” Franky picked up a stick of wood and poked at the logs in the firepit, stirring up the flames again. 

“She didn’t start off that way. I met her through a friend of a friend who I wasn’t even all that close to. We ended up at a dinner party together and hit it off. She seemed charming. She wined and dined me, showered me with attention but then when all that new excitement wore off, I started to see the other side of her. I did what I tell all my clients not to do, I made excuses for her behaviour; she’s tired, she’s stressed, she’s under a lot of pressure at work, she had a bad day. And well, you know how it eventually ended.” The blonde reached over and tugged on Franky’s shirt, indicating that she wanted her to move closer. “I didn’t really date or anything after that. A couple one night stands but that was all.”

The brunette opened her mouth in mock surprise. “Scandalous, Gidge.”

Bridget turned her head and stretched up to give Franky a kiss. “And now here we are.”

“Indeed.” The brunette gave her another small kiss. “Do you have any pictures of you and Em when she was little?”

“Yeah. Do you want me to get them?” The blonde’s mood lightened.

“Yeah.” Franky smiled at her.

Bridget went into the house and returned a minute later with a stack of three or four pictures. She handed them to the brunette who flipped through them. There was one of her laying on the floor with Emily, playing. Another showed the two of them on the couch with Emily fast asleep just how the blonde had described it. Finally, there was one where Bridget was holding Emily, who couldn’t have been more than a week old.

“She was pretty new in this one.” Franky tilted the picture so the blonde could see which one she was talking about. Bridget laughed at her use of the word ‘new’ to describe her niece.

“Mhm, she was. Only a week, maybe two weeks old.” The blonde stared at the picture.

“After the show, and the wedding, we should start the planning process.” The brunette studied Bridget’s face to try and gauge her reaction.

It took the blonde a moment to fully understand what Franky was saying. “You want to have a baby with me?”

“I want to have a baby with you.” The brunette watched as Bridget’s face lit up, and she pulled her in for a long kiss. Franky giggled against her lips. She knew it was a big decision, but sometimes things just felt right, and this was definitely one of those times.


	55. Chapter 55

“Why are we here so early?” Bridget asked as she sipped her second cup of coffee of the day.

“Blame Channing. He’s really pushing to get this review started. I was here until midnight on Friday and most of the day on Saturday because he needed everything ready for today.” Vera sat her cup down on the table. “What do I owe you for the coffee?”

The blonde simply shook her head. “I was stopping to get one for myself anyway.”

“What, Franky didn’t have one ready for you when you woke up?” Vera gave a small laugh. She gave her friend a hard time about how well the brunette treated her, but in reality she was very happy for them both.

“I know, right? She’s getting slack,” the blonde said with a smile.

“Pfft. She probably woke you up in some completely adorable way, then made you breakfast and packed your lunch while you got dressed.” The governor took another mouthful of her coffee.

“And your lunch too. Three cheese ravioli and caesar salad today.” Bridget glanced at her watch. “Why can’t he ever be at a meeting on time?”

The blonde had felt much better after her talk with Franky the night before, but she still couldn’t entirely shake the feeling she had after their interaction with her ex. She was just glad that Julia had said she was only here on business, and that it wasn't something more permanent.

"Speaking of time, what time is Em's birthday party on Saturday?" Vera asked as she opened up the calendar app on her phone.

"Franky was thinking maybe an early supper between four and five, then cake, then the fire, and sleepover. So I guess anytime after two. Are you staying for the sleepover?" Bridget laughed quietly after she'd realized what she'd said. Asking her friend if she was staying for a 'sleepover' made it sound like they were kids. They hadn't specifically asked Vera or Liz if they were staying or not. They just assumed they'd want to go home to their own, more comfortable, beds.

"Who do I have to share a sleeping bag with?" The governor glanced at her friend.

"No one. BYOB." When the blonde saw the confused look on her friend's face she clarified. "Bring your own bag."

"Ah. I think I'll skip the sleepover part anyway." Vera put her phone back in her pocket. "I'll be there shortly after lunch though, and help you guys get things ready."

"Sorry I'm late everyone. I was just giving our guest a quick tour of the compound." Channing entered the officer's lounge, closely followed by someone who was obscured by the regional director's height.

Bridget quickly set her coffee on the table, and picked up her folder of papers, ready to take notes. It wasn't that she expected what he had to say to be overly interesting, but it was her way of trying to stay awake, and at least appear to be listening.

"First of all, I'd like to introduce Julia Thomas. She'll be the lead consultant on the budget review." Channing paused and let everyone say their hellos.

The blonde simply managed a nod of acknowledgement. She quickly lowered her eyes, pretending to read what was on the piece of paper in front of her, which so far, was nothing. If Vera spoke to her, she didn't hear. She was lost in her own thoughts, listening to her heartbeat, until she felt something touch her elbow. She turned her head to look at her friend.

"You okay?" Vera mouthed silently.

Bridget simply nodded again, took a deep breath, and sat up straighter in her chair. The governor was the only one who knew about her history with Julia, and she intended to keep it that way.

As soon as the meeting ended, the blonde gathered her things and headed back to her office. She had no more than closed the door, and sat down at her desk, when there was a knock on the door.

She hesitated for a second. "Come in."

"Bridget, I'm sorry, I didn't know, or I would have given you a heads up." The governor rushed in and quickly closed the door behind her.

"It's fine," the blonde said as she shook her head. "I knew she was in town, but not that she was going to be here."

"How did yo-...did she contact you?" Vera sat down on the armrest of one of the big green chairs.

Bridget was looking at a spot on her desk. "She showed up at the house last night." She leaned back in her chair. "With a bottle of wine. She thought we could spend the evening together and see what happened."

"You've got to be kidding me." The governor just sat there shaking her head as she looked out the window. "I assume Franky wasn't there." Vera knew how protective Franky was of the blonde, and that she knew what Bridget's ex had done to her. After their talks and what had happened in Wentworth, she knew that the brunette would never hurt Bridget or Emily, and that she’d worked hard to overcome her anger problems. In the back of her mind though, she was worried that when it came to protecting one of them, Franky might not think before she acted.

"Not at first. She was gone picking up our supper, but Julia and I were still standing on the front porch when she got home. I wouldn't let her in the house." The blonde crossed her arms over her chest. "She thought Franky was the delivery driver. She tried to pay her for the food so we could go inside and eat."

"Wow." The governor really couldn't think of anything else to say to that.

"Yeah." Bridget took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I tried to correct her, but then Franky figured out who she was after she reached out and pushed me aside. You know, that dismissive 'stand back and shut up' thing she used to do."

"Yeah I remember it." Vera had seen it long before the blonde herself had opened her eyes to what was going on. "What did Franky say?"

"She was mad. She was so mad. I could tell. Em came around the corner from the backyard and gave her a hug. I was grateful and worried at the same time, but it was okay. Franky sent her inside with the food and told Julia to leave." The blonde ran her hand over her face. "She handed me the bottle of wine and left. I threw it against the fence after she'd gone." Bridget looked at her friend sheepishly.

"I probably would have done the same thing." The governor reassured her. "Did Em recognize her?"

The blonde shook her head. "No, thank god. She was kind of too young to remember her, and Julia never said anything about her.”

“I’ll, uh, speak to Channing. Maybe I can make sure he doesn’t pair you with her for anything.” Vera shifted uncomfortably and cleared her throat.

“No.” Bridget sat up straighter. “We’re adults. We’re professionals. I’ll get through this. Then she can go back and I won’t have to see her again.”

“Okay.” The governor held up her hands. “But if you change your mind, just let me know.”

“I will. Thanks.” The blonde gave her friend a smile and got a quick nod in return as Vera stood and headed for the door.

“Oh!” The governor stopped and turned with her hand already on the door handle. “Do you know what Em wants for presents?”

Bridget shrugged. “Anything she can make or build, or games. She’s got a curious mind that likes to stay busy.”

“Sounds good.” Vera gave her a final nod and was out the door.

********

The blonde had made it through the rest of the day without running into Julia again, but she knew that sooner or later it would happen. The prison was big, but the administration area that housed her office wasn't, and she knew that was probably where her ex would be spending most of her time. Bridget was in charge of a lot of the anti-recidivism programs within the prison, so at some point Channing would probably have them meet, and she'd have to defend the portion of the budget she was using to keep them going.

Before she knew it, she was parked in her driveway, just sitting in her car. It scared her that she didn't really remember the drive home; she'd been so lost in her thoughts. Franky's car was there, which meant that she and Emily would be home. The blonde took a look at herself in the small mirror in the visor. She looked like hell, and she knew the brunette would notice as soon as she walked through the door. She swiped her hand across her face and took a deep breath.

"Hey, babe." Franky greeted Bridget as soon as she heard the door open. She and Emily were in the kitchen getting supper ready. The brunette glanced up and caught the look on the older woman's face. "Bad day?"

Bridget just nodded. "I'm going to go change out of these clothes." She dropped her bag onto the end of the couch, and turned to go to their bedroom.

Franky waited a few moments, and when the blonde hadn't returned, she decided to check on her. "Hey, bub, go take a break for a few minutes until I get back." She nodded towards the living room, and Emily hopped down off the step stool, and went to sit on the couch.

The brunette opened the door slowly, not wanting to startle the other woman. She saw her sitting on their bed with the bottle of tequila that was hidden in their closet. Franky's stomach did a somersault. The last time they'd drank from that, she'd ended up hungover for most of the next day.

"Gidge?" She closed the door quietly behind her, and sat down on the bed beside the blonde.

Bridget didn't say anything, but simply put the cap back on the bottle, and handed it to the brunette. Franky sat it on the floor beside her feet.

"I'm not here to police your tequila intake." Franky knew it wasn't the time to try to be funny, but she was glad when she saw a small flicker of a smile on the corner of the blonde's mouth. She also felt there was something about the way Bridget had handed it over that made it seem to her like the older woman felt that she had been caught doing something she shouldn't. She trusted the blonde's judgement, and knew she wasn't going to get drunk with Emily around. "What happened?" She reached over and took one of Bridget's hands in hers.

"Julia is the lead consultant on Channing's budget review project, and she's working out of Wentworth while she's here." She turned her head to face Franky. "That's why she's here in Melbourne."

"Fuck." The brunette shook her head. "Seriously, what the fuck? That's messed up. Did she know you still work there? Did Vera know she was coming?"

"I don't know if she knew I was still there or not. I haven't had contact with her since we broke up, and it never came up last evening. She didn't seem surprised to see me in the meeting, but that doesn't mean anything. She probably saw my name on the paperwork." Bridget took a deep breath. "Vera didn't know either. She found out when I did this morning. She only knew the name of the firm, not who was actually coming here."

"Fuck." It was all that Franky could think of to say.

"I avoided her for most of the day, but I can't do that forever. I'll have to have a meeting with her at some point. Vera offered to keep us separated, but I don't want to draw attention to anything. I'm just going to be professional, and get through it, then she can leave and it's over." The blonde got up, and started to undress.

"How long is she here for?" The brunette hoped it wasn't for long. Bridget was clearly upset, and she wouldn't be around once filming started. She hated the thought of not being able to be there to comfort the blonde if she needed it when she got home.

"Channing said at least a month, maybe more. It depends on how quickly they get through everything." Bridget pulled on a pair of yoga pants and one of Franky's t-shirts.

The brunette stood, and wrapped her arms around the older woman. "You're strong, babe. It'll be okay. We'll get through it, and then she'll be gone." She felt the blonde sigh as she rubbed her back.

Bridget gave her a small smile, and pulled her in for a kiss. Franky pulled her close. She tasted like tequila, and again the brunette's stomach flipped.

"I should go brush my teeth." The blonde saw the look on the younger woman's face, and knew right away what had caused it.

"Sorry, Gidge, but you taste like hangover." The brunette gave an apologetic smile.

"I know, baby. Don't be sorry." Bridget gave her a kiss on the cheek, then headed to the bathroom while Franky went to rejoin Emily in the kitchen to finish making supper.

The brunette leaned against the kitchen island while she waited for the last few minutes to pass on the timer until their meal was ready. In an attempt to unwind a bit from the day, Bridget had taken her yoga mat outside on the patio and was going through some poses. Franky was making no attempt to seem like she wasn't watching and enjoying it. Her t-shirt was a bit loose on the blonde, but she could see the silhouette of her body through the fabric thanks to the evening sun behind her.

“Franky?” Getting no response, Emily tried again, this time tugging on the brunette’s shirt. “Franky?”

“Hmm? Yeah?” Franky glanced towards the young girl.

“How much longer until supper? I’m hungry.” Emily followed the brunette’s gaze and saw that she was watching Bridget. 

“Just a couple more minutes. The timer is set.” Franky took a quick look behind her to make sure that she had indeed set it.

“Why are you watching Auntie Bridge?” the young girl asked with a confused look on her face.

“I, uh…” The brunette tried to think of a plausible lie. “I”m thinking of taking up yoga, so I was just seeing what it was all about.”

“It looks hard.” Emily climbed up on one of the stools.

“I don’t think it’s too bad as long as you’re flexible.” Franky realized what she’d just said, and cleared her throat. The timer rang, and she silently said a thanks that she was literally saved by the bell. "Supper's ready, Gidge," she called through the open door.

Bridget rolled up her mat and came back inside the house. She gave Franky a knowing smirk as she passed by.

"Feel better, babe?" the brunette asked as she plated dinner. Bridget had returned from putting away her mat, and was waiting to carry the food to the table.

"Yeah, a bit." She gave Franky a kiss on the cheek as she picked up their plates.

There was less conversation than normal around the table that night. Emily did most of the talking, telling them all about what she had done in her art class with Bea that day.

They both knew that the young girl could sense that something was bothering her aunt. Emily stuck close to Bridget for most of the night, and asked that she be the one who read her a bedtime story.

They decided to skip having a fire that night, and opted to go to bed not long after Emily had fallen asleep. Franky knew the blonde had had a long day, and she just wanted to hold her.

When Bridget entered the bedroom, she saw that the brunette hadn't changed into her pyjamas yet. "Everything okay, baby?"

"Yeah." Franky took the blonde in her arms and gave her a soft kiss.

Bridget felt the younger woman reach down and take hold of the hem on each side of her shirt. She pulled back a bit to allow Franky to remove it over her head. They spent the next few minutes slowly undressing each other.

"Lay on the bed on your stomach, babe." The brunette gave her a final kiss, then reached behind her to lock the door.

The blonde did as she was asked, and it was only a few seconds before she felt Franky straddle her thighs. The younger woman bent forward so that her lips were beside Bridget's ear.

"Just relax and enjoy, okay?" Franky whispered softly.

"Mmm, okay." The blonde smiled as she felt a gentle bite on the back of her shoulder, then a soothing kiss.

The brunette started at her shoulders, and worked her thumbs against Bridget's tense muscles. The blonde let out a groan.

"Too hard?" Franky thought that maybe she was leaning into it with too much of her weight.

"No, it feels good." Bridget mumbled.

The brunette continued her way across her shoulders, using a bit more pressure when she felt a knot in the muscles. The blonde let out another moan.

"If anyone was listening they'd think we were having some really good sex in here right now." Franky felt the older woman chuckle.

"I'm not loud during sex," Bridget said matter-of-factly.

"You are sometimes." The brunette leaned down and placed a kiss on the back of her neck. "Especially if Em isn't right across the hall."

"Liar." The blonde couldn't even say it with a straight face. "You're pretty quiet."

"Am I? I never really thought about it before, and no one's mentioned it." Franky began making her way down Bridget's back.

"I like it. It's really hot." The blonde opened one eye, trying to see the younger woman's reaction.

"And why's that?" Franky asked as she leaned into a particularly tense knot she'd found.

"Mmm. Because you're usually quiet. So if I can make you make a sound then I know I've done something that felt really good and you couldn't help it." Bridget reached towards the headboard, stretching out her back.

"I always like the things you do. They always feel good." Franky didn't want her to think that just because she was quiet that she wasn't enjoying it.

"I know, baby. You react in other ways. Your breathing changes, or you kiss me harder, or bite me, or squeeze my hand." The blonde stopped herself there before her mind made her want to turn the massage into something else.

The brunette smiled to herself. She knew why Bridget had gone quiet. She continued to work her way along the blonde's back until she thought she had completely relaxed. Franky placed a final kiss on the back of her shoulder, and moved to lay down beside her.

"That felt really good," Bridget said as she moved into the brunette's arms.

"I'm glad." Franky placed a small kiss on her lips. "I thought yoga was supposed to help stretch you out. You were still pretty tense."

"Maybe my technique is off. You were watching me, what do you think?" A smirk played on the blonde's lips. "Don't deny it. I saw you."

"I couldn't help it, you looked really hot. You know how I feel about those pants." She watched as Bridget nodded. "And I love it when you wear my clothes. I could see the outline of your body..." Franky trailed off as her eyes moved from Bridget's down to her lips.

The blonde pulled her in for a deep kiss, which she ended with a small bite on the younger woman's bottom lip. "I love you, baby."

"I love you, too," Franky said as she brushed the tip of her nose against Bridget's cheek.

They must have drifted off because the next thing Bridget knew, she was being woken by the sound of small fists beating on the bedroom door.

"Auntie Bridge! Franky!" It was clear from Emily's voice that she was crying.

"Just a second, love!" Bridget was up out of bed and searching for the nearest articles of clothing.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Franky doing the same on the other side of the room. The blonde found Franky's t-shirt she'd been wearing earlier, and a pair of shorts. She quickly pulled them on. On her way to the door she looked back to see that the brunette had found her pyjama pants and a singlet.

"What's wrong, love?" Bridget asked as she opened the door.

"The monster....and he ran...and...he...almost....is he in here?" She looked around with wide eyes.

"Nightmare," Franky said quietly, more to herself than anyone else.

Bridget knelt in front of Emily, and the young girl wrapped her arms around her aunt's neck.

"There's no one in here besides me and Franky," Bridget said softly as she rubbed her niece's back.

"Are you sure? I saw him come in here." She looked over the blonde's shoulder.

"Yeah, bub, we're sure. It's just us." Franky brushed her hand over Emily's hair. "You had a bad dream."

The young girl shook her head, and buried her face against Bridget.

"Come on, you can stay with us for the rest of the night." The blonde took the girl's hand and led her to their bed.

Emily crawled in under the covers and Bridget followed her. The young girl snuggled in close to her aunt, and buried her face in the pillow. The blonde put her arms around her, and could feel her still shaking.

"It's okay, love." Bridget tried to make her voice sound as soothing as she could as she rubbed her back.

After a minute Emily looked behind her to make sure Franky was there as well. She reached out and pulled on the brunette's shirt, indicating that she wanted her to move closer. Franky moved closer and laid her arm across both Bridget and the young girl.

It reminded the brunette of the nights just after Tim had passed away, and Emily had refused to sleep on her own. Franky watched the clock on the table behind Bridget. It took almost a half hour before the young girl was calm again. The blonde fell asleep not long after that, but sleep didn't come as easily for the younger woman.

********

Bridget had successfully managed to mostly avoid Julia for the rest of the week. They of course had to attend the same daily briefings each morning, but other than that she barely saw her. She had spent most of her breaks either in her office or Vera's, which had the added benefit of her getting a head start on some of her work. She hoped this would free her up later on when Franky was filming and she was on her own more with Emily.

Today, however, was the start of the weekend, and the day of Emily's birthday party. She and Franky had already put up the tent in the backyard, with only a minor disagreement over where to place it.

It was just after one when they heard the front door open, and Vera announced her arrival.

"Hey, guys. I came early in case you needed help getting things ready." Vera set her gift for Emily on the end of the kitchen table with the ones from Bridget and Franky. "What's the theme?" The governor looked around, and while the decorations looked pretty, she couldn't figure out what the theme was.

"Lots of food coloring and edible glitter," Franky said as she put the finishing touches on the cake.

It was two tiers, with purple, blue, and pink swirled through the frosting, and it was indeed covered in silver glitter. There were also cookies decorated to match. Bridget was in the process of adding some kind of powder to the punch she'd made that swirled through the liquid and made it shimmer.

"So..." The governor could see that the brunette was indeed telling the truth that there was a lot of food coloring and glitter, but obviously that wasn't the theme.

"Magical unicorn," the blonde said with a giggle.

"Ah, well, yeah I can see that now." Vera gave her a small smile, and sat down on one of the stools at the island. "Are you guys sleeping outside with them tonight?"

"Yeah, we are. Franky's never been camping." Bridget gave the younger woman a kiss on the cheek.

"I've only been the one time with you." The governor nodded her head towards her friend.

"Why only once? You didn't like it?" Franky asked as she moved the cake to the counter.

"I'm not the outdoors-y type apparently." Vera glanced towards Bridget, who had a smirk on her face. She sighed. "Go on, tell the story."

"She was pretty much miserable the whole time. It rained one day, and that night was a bit on the cold side," the blonde explained.

"A bit on the cold side?!" Vera's mouth had dropped open. "I couldn't feel my fingers, toes, or nose!"

"I told you to pack warmer clothes." Bridget let out a small laugh. "You ended up in my sleeping bag to warm up."

"It was really cold." The governor scratched her ear, and looked away uncomfortably.

“Ah, I don’t blame you. Gidge is a good cuddler.” The brunette attempted to break Vera’s awkwardness with a bit of humor. 

The governor simply cleared her throat. “What are you doing?” she asked, nodding towards what Franky was working on.

“If you cut the hot dogs in a spiral, then when you put the topping on them in the buns, they get caught in the grooves instead of falling out everywhere when you take a bite.” It wasn’t one of her fancy culinary techniques, but just a trick the brunette had seen on tv. “I also have hickory peppercorn bacon cheese burgers ready to grill, and some regular burgers in case the kids aren’t feeling adventurous.”

“I feel like every mealtime here is a big event.” Vera gave a small laugh.

“Not really. We don’t eat like this every day. Right, baby?” Bridget placed a kiss on Franky’s cheek as the younger woman shook her head.

********

It was right around two o’clock when there was a knock on the door. Bridget went to answer it expecting either Charlotte or Mia, as Liz had shown up not long after Vera.

“Hey, guys,” the blonde said with a smile on her face. Charlotte and her mother, Nancy, were standing there. “Come on in.”

“Go on, love.” Charlotte’s mother nudged her gently in the shoulder.

“Would you like your mom to come in for a minute, and you can meet everyone and see who’s here before she leaves?” Bridget saw Charlotte give a small nod, and she recognized the same shyness in the girl as she did with her niece. “Okay, sure, come in.”

The blonde led them to the end of the hallway. 

“So down that way is the bathroom and the bedrooms. The bathroom is the first door on the right.” The blonde pointed down the hallway then turned to the main living area. “And this is the living room, kitchen, and dining area. Straight through and out the door is the backyard where we’ve set up the tent for tonight.” 

Charlotte followed Bridget further into the house slowly, checking to make sure that her mother was still behind her.

“This is my friend, Vera. She’s known Em since she was a baby, and she looks after her for us sometimes.” The blonde thought that it probably wouldn’t mean much to Charlotte that Vera was her friend, but if she explained that Emily liked her, it might make the girl feel more at ease. “And this is Liz. She’s like Franky’s mom. And of course, you know Franky already.”

The shy girl gave a small smile and wave when Bridget mentioned the brunette.

“Em is just putting her sleeping bag in the tent. She’ll help you get yours set up if you’d like. I’ll put your bag in her room for you.” The blonde reached out and took Charlotte’s overnight bag.

“Are we sleeping out there alone?” the shy girl asked.

“No, Franky and I are sleeping out there too. Here, I’ll show you.” Bridget walked with her over to the patio door so they could see into the tent. “There’s two rooms. So you, Em, and Mia are on one side, and we'll be on the other.” 

Charlotte looked at her mother, who gave her a reassuring smile. 

“Go on out with Em and get your sleeping bag ready.” Nancy watched as her daughter slowly walked across the patio stones towards her friend. She turned to the blonde. “Call me if you need anything, even if it’s late. There’s been a couple times I’ve had to come pick her up early because she’s been homesick.”

“Sure.” Bridget gave her a smile. “We’ve got some fun stuff planned, so hopefully she’ll be distracted by that.” 

“Hopefully.” Nancy turned to lead back to the front door. On her way past Franky, she looked her slowly up and down. 

“She checked you out,” Vera said to the brunette after she’d heard the door close. 

“Hmm?” Franky had been looking for the barbeque lighter.

“She checked you out on her way out.” The governor tilted her head towards the direction that Nancy had left.

“She probably was just looking at my tattoos.” The brunette always wore her jacket during the classes, so only the couple on her lower arms would be visible.

“No.” Vera gave a small chuckle, as Franky simply shrugged and went back to what she’d been doing.

********

Supper had been a success, as had the cake, and the fire, and now they were all getting ready to settle into the tent for the night. 

“Is it going to be really dark?” Charlotte asked Franky. They were the only two outside, the other girls and Bridget were still inside getting changed.

“I’ll leave the light by the door on, how’s that?” The brunette smiled as the girl nodded. “Alright, I see the other two on their way. Why don’t you go get in your sleeping bag?”

Franky settled into the double-sized bag she’d be sharing with Bridget, and heard the girls, one by one, enter the other side of the tent. Finally, the blonde made her way out of the house. It was a warm night, so they had both opted for shorts and singlets.

The brunette was laying on her back, looking out through one of the windows at the night sky. She felt Bridget lay down beside her, and cuddle into her side.

“That’s one of the best feelings,” Franky whispered softly. She could hear the girls laughing and talking in the other part of the tent, so she figured she and the blonde could talk without them overhearing, if they were quiet.

“What is, baby?” Bridget turned her head, and placed a kiss on the other woman’s shoulder.

“When you lay down next to me. It’s like you melt into my side.” The brunette had an arm wrapped around the older woman, and she let her fingers trail up and down her side.

“Maybe I melt because you’re so hot.” Bridget emphasized the ‘t’ in hot, and they both laughed at the cheesiness of it.

“You think I’m hot, do ya?” Franky raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah.” The blonde moved up so she was more face to face with the younger woman. She pressed their lips together gently. 

“Don’t start something you can’t finish tonight, babe.” The younger woman let her hand slide down Bridget’s back, and onto her butt. She gave a small squeeze, which made the blonde giggle.

“I’m not.” Bridget gave her another small kiss, and they heard the girls next door giggle loudly. “That sound could be in our house all the time some day.”

“Yeah.” Franky’s face lit up. “Do you think we’ll have a boy or a girl?”

“I don’t know. Either is fine with me.” The blonde thought for a moment. “I hate to say it, but I think I’d worry less about a boy out in the world. That doesn’t influence my preference though.”

“If it’s a girl, we’ll have to raise them like they did Wonder Woman. All warrior tough and shit.” The brunette watched as Bridget smiled and nodded her head.

They laid there for a minute in silence, each lost in their thoughts.

“I was pregnant once before.” The blonde had said it so quietly that Franky wasn’t sure she’d said it at all.

“What?” The brunette turned on her side so she could see Bridget’s face better. “I thought you said you’d never thought about having kids with anyone.”

“I haven’t.” The older woman closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She already regretted her timing, but it seemed to come out of her mouth on its own. “It was an accident; when I was in uni.” She felt Franky’s arms around her. “I got pregnant and I never told my boyfriend at the time. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I was only just far enough along that the test picked it up. I’d been a bit off, and I just had this feeling in the back of my mind, so I took it, and it was positive.” 

“So what happened?” The brunette knew that Bridget didn’t have any kids now, so that left only a couple options, but she didn’t want to assume anything.

“I had a miscarriage maybe a week after I’d found out. I hadn’t decided what I was going to do, then fate decided for me.” She opened her eyes to see Franky’s green ones staring back at her, no judgment showing.

“He or she would have been beautiful just like you.” The brunette gave her a small kiss. “Maybe ours will have your eyes, or your nose.” Franky brushed the tip of the blonde’s nose with her own.

“My nose?” Bridget wrinkled up her face.

“Yeah. I love your nose, Gidge.” The brunette brushed hers against the older woman’s again. “The Westfall genes are strong. Em looks just like you. I’d swear you were her mother if I didn’t know the difference.” 

“Maybe they’ll look like you.” Bridget pictured a little version of Franky running around with Emily.

“Either way, they’ll be ours, just like Em, and she’ll have a little sibling.” The brunette was getting emotional. She shook her head to clear it. 

“We’re getting ahead of ourselves.” The blonde gave Franky a kiss. “We’ll get there, but there's a lot to get through before that.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Franky nodded. “It’s easy to make plans with you.” She gave Bridget a soft kiss, and noticed that the girls next door had gone quiet. She figured the sugar crash had finally kicked in. “We should sleep while we can.”

“Yeah.” The blonde snuggled in closer, and felt Franky hold her a bit tighter. The younger woman always seemed to know what she needed.


	56. Chapter 56

“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” Vera asked Bridget as they sat eating their lunches in the governor’s office.

“No, but I have to get through it.” The blonde took a bite of her food. “I’m not letting her affect my job. She’s not worth it.”

Bridget had her first one-on-one meeting with Julia today. She had worked for most of the morning to get everything organized that she thought she’d need. She hoped this would mean they’d have to spend the minimum amount of time possible together. Vera had offered to make up an excuse to attend the meeting if she didn’t want to be there alone, but her friend had refused. The blonde thought that this would only serve to let Julia know just how uncomfortable she was with the situation. 

“I know,” Vera sighed. She watched Bridget poke at her food with her fork. She knew that the presence of the blonde’s ex had been bothering her, but she sensed that there was something else going on with her friend as well. “Bridget?” 

“Hmm?” Bridget glanced up quickly then went back to examining her food.

“Is there something else bothering you?” The governor was never good at starting these types of conversations, but if she could do it with anyone, it was her friend.

The blonde sighed and laid her fork on her plate. She hadn’t yet told Vera about Franky agreeing to be on another cooking show. It wasn’t that she was keeping it from her, it was just that with the extra work Channing was having them do, she’d barely seen her since Emily’s party except for when they ate lunch together. Even then, they didn’t get to talk much. Mostly they just ate their meals in almost complete silence then went back to work. 

“Franky was asked to be on another cooking show, and she accepted. It’s a great opportunity, but it means that she won’t be around much, if at all, and she’s had to give up teaching at the Centre, at least for this semester.” Bridget let out a long breath. “Liz has agreed to look after Em after school like Franky used to, which is great, but I can tell they're both not happy about losing that time together.”

“Wow, that’s great she got that chance again.” Vera was genuinely happy for the brunette, but she knew how close she was with Emily. “I can imagine that Em would be a bit sad though.” 

Bridget nodded. “Franky did some negotiation, and she might get to come home once in a while _if_ she wins challenges.”

“If you need anything; someone to talk to, or even just someone to sit with and keep you company or look after Em, you can always call me. I know it’s not the same as having Franky around though.” The governor gave her friend a small smile.

“Thanks, Vera. That means a lot.” The blonde returned the smile, and gave her friend’s hand a small squeeze. She glanced at the clock. “I should get going. My meeting starts in ten minutes.”

“I’ll be here all afternoon,” Vera said as Bridget gathered her things.

“I know.” The blonde gave her friend another smile. “You’ll come rescue me if I text you.”

The governor gave a small nod, and watched as Bridget left her office.

********

Bridget sat at her desk and tried to loosen the muscles in her shoulders for the thousandth time while she waited for Julia to arrive. She reached into her bag, and found her engagement ring. She had worn it the first couple days when she was working, but it had brought questions from a couple of the prisoners she’d had sessions with those days. Of course, they didn’t know that her fiancée was a former prisoner there, or even who she was at all, but the blonde wanted to avoid any more questions about it. Not only was it bad practise as a counsellor to bring your personal life into therapy sessions, it was also dangerous given her client base. There was always a chance that a prisoner may not like something she did or said, and decide to target people she cared about as a way to take revenge. Right now though, she wanted Julia to get the message loud and clear that she had someone in her life. She slipped the ring onto her finger.

At exactly one o’clock there was a knock at her office door.

Bridget took a deep breath. “Come in.”

“Bridget, good afternoon.” Julia gave her a tight lipped smile as she closed the door behind her.

“You can take a seat.” The blonde motioned to the green armchair closest to the wall; the one her patients usually sat in, as she gathered her papers and took a seat in the opposite chair.

“What, not even a greeting?” Julia asked, sitting down in the chair Bridget had indicated.

“You’re right, that was rude of me. Good afternoon.” The blonde didn’t want to be overly friendly, but she knew that if she came across too strongly, it would make things more difficult for her in the long run. The smoother she could make this go, the better. She saw another grin appear on her ex’s face. It wasn’t a friendly one, it was another one she remembered all too well. It was the one she saw when Julia had manipulated her and gotten her way. She could almost hear the _‘that’s better’_ leave her ex’s lips even though the room was completely silent.

“Derek has asked that I review the programs you’re running in order to determine if they are worth continuing.” Julia flipped open her notebook and folder.

“I can tell you, they are.” Bridget believed deeply in the work that she did with the women, and she wasn’t prepared to let anything go without a fight.

“This list is fairly extensive.” Her ex held up the list of programs that had been included in her information package. “I’m sure there are some things here that we can agree are unnecessary.”

The blonde simply sighed and began flipping through her own notes, trying to find a starting point.

“Here’s something.” Julia scanned over the page in front of her. “It says here that in the last year, ten percent of the inmates who made use of the education program were serving life sentences.”

“Mhm.” Bridget shrugged. This statistic wasn’t new to her.

“So there’s something that can be trimmed.” She looked at the blonde, waiting for her to admit the logic in her statement.

“I don’t see how.” Bridget shifted in her chair.

“Come on,” Julia scoffed. “There’s no need to educate an inmate who’ll never see the outside of these walls again.” 

“Sure there is. Furthering their education gives them a sense of pride and accomplishment. It improves their self-esteem and stimulates their minds. Prison can be a boring place. Some of them even go on to become tutors for the other prisoners.” The blonde received only a blank stare from her ex. “You don’t think there’s value in that?”

“The prison system isn’t obligated to provide pep talks to inmates.” Julia watched as Bridget stiffened. The psychologist clearly wanted to say something, but held back. “Maybe we can find something else we can agree on.”

“Sure.” The blonde looked back to her notes again, but still felt her ex’s eyes on her.

“Bridget, you’ve got things listed here that don’t even fall under your department.” Julia ran her pen along the list. “There’s stuff here like yoga and meditation classes. Those should be funded by the recreation budget.”

“They didn’t get approved as recreation programs.” This was what the blonde was worried about. She knew she was pushing the boundaries of what she could get away with, but she hated to see something she thought would benefit the women be discontinued just because someone from another department didn’t care to fight for it.

“How in the hell did you get them approved as psych programs then?” The consultant threw up her hands.

Bridget took a deep breath. “Meditation and yoga have been proven to have positive effects on mental health. They can help reduce stress and alleviate depression.”

Her ex gave her a look and moved on. “The contraception and family planning program? Please try to sell that one to me. How are you qualified to teach that anyway?”

“Well, uh, I don’t actually _teach_ that program, that would be done by the nurse. The women wanted conjugal visits and the only way Vera could get it approved by the board was to require anyone who wanted to participate in it to also participate in some form of contraception education.” Bridget cleared her throat. “Channing hated the idea, but I managed to make a good enough argument to convince enough of the other board members to approve it.”

“Well, I’m recommending that the conjugal visits be stopped anyway, so if they go, this can go too.” Julia placed the program info sheet on the bottom of her stack of papers.

“Wait, why are you recommending that the conjugals be ended?” The blonde had fought hard for that program. Wentworth was the first women’s prison in the state to allow it, and she didn’t want to see it thrown away that easily. 

“They serve no purpose. Why are we making life easier on the inmates anyway? Prison is supposed to be a form of punishment. If you give them luxuries like this, there’s not much incentive to reform, is there?” She sat back in her chair. She couldn’t wait to hear how Bridget was going to defend this one.

“A key to an inmate’s success after release is the support of family and friends. Those relationships suffer greatly while they’re in here. The conjugal visits are another way for them to maintain a connection with their partners so hopefully when they’re released they will have that support system waiting for them.” The blonde knew that her ex was trying to trip her up and throw her off, but she’d had to answer all these questions before, and she was well prepared to do so again.

Julia shook her head. “From my understanding, that program is hanging by a thread anyway, so with my recommendation it should be gone in no time. The family planning and contraception will go along with it.”

“If, and I stress, _if_ the conjugal visits go, that’s no reason to get rid of family planning. The women still need that.” Bridget wasn’t conceding a loss on anything yet. She knew she’d get her chance to argue in front of the board before any final decisions were made.

“How so?”

“If the inmate experiences an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy after release, it could be devastating to their chance for success. It creates huge emotional and financial obligations they may not be ready for, especially if they don’t have a good support system behind them.” The blonde held her ex’s stare.

“I understand that these causes are near and dear to you. Some of them probably hit home more than others, but you can’t save everyone.” Julia studied Bridget’s face closely to see if her statement had had the intended effect.

The blonde knew what her ex was hinting at. Of course Julia had known about her pregnancy and miscarriage in university. While Bridget certainly wasn’t in the same situation as these inmates, she understood the emotional impact something like this could cause. She’d wrestled with her thoughts and feelings for days, and even now didn’t know for certain what her decision would have been. She’d been sad when the doctor told her she was having a miscarriage, but in a way she’d also felt a huge relief. She had been saved from the burden of making a choice.

“I’m not trying to save everyone. I just want the women to have access to every available opportunity we can give them to ensure their mental health while they’re here, and their success after their release.” Bridget held her ex’s stare.

Julia sighed and looked at the clock. “I have another meeting I have to get to. I’ll come back in an hour and we’ll continue?”

“I can’t. I have to leave a bit early today to pick up Em.” It was a lie, Franky always looked after her niece, but she didn’t want to spend any more time with her ex today. This was also the last weekend before the brunette started filming, and Bridget wanted the three of them to have as much time as possible together. She had already cleared her early departure with Vera.

“Ah, so that was her at the house. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen her. I saw Sarah’s obituary, my condolences. Is Tim here on business again?” Julia asked as she gathered her files.

“Tim died in a car accident a few months ago.” The blonde was at the point where she could talk about it now without getting too emotional as long as she didn’t think too much. “She lives with me now.”

“You mean temporarily? Until they find a permanent spot for her?” She didn’t understand the expression on Bridget’s face.

“She has a permanent spot. With me. Franky and I are raising her.” The blonde couldn’t believe that Julia would think she’d let Emily be put up for adoption or go into foster care.

“Did Franky agree to that, or did she get roped into putting up with the rugrat like I did?” She stood and began to make her way to the door.

“I never roped you into anything or even asked you to help look after her when I babysat. It was obvious you didn’t like her. And Franky didn’t have to agree because there was never a question of whether she was staying with us or not. In fact, the first thing Franky wanted to make sure of after we heard about Tim was that Em wouldn’t have to leave us. They’ve adored each other since the moment they met.” Bridget was proud of her family, and the way the brunette cared for both her and Emily, and she wanted to make sure her ex knew that.

“Right, well, that worked out for you then.” Julia opened the office door. “I’ll have Derek set up some more time for us to continue this next week.” She didn’t wait for the blonde’s answer, just closed the door behind her and headed back to her temporary office.

********

Franky was placing some clothes into the suitcase she had set on the bed when she heard the front door open, then close again. She heard Bridget say hello to Emily, then she heard the click of her shoes on the hardwood floor heading towards the bedroom.

“Hey, Gidge. You’re home early.” The brunette saw the tears form in the older woman’s eyes as soon as she saw the suitcase. “Hey, come here.” Franky reached out and wrapped her arms around the blonde. “I thought I’d get this done so I wouldn’t have to do it this weekend. More time to spend with you guys.”

“It’s not that. Well, part of it is that.” She buried her face against the younger woman’s neck.

Bridget knew that the brunette started filming on Monday, but she had told herself that she wasn’t going to let that hang over the weekend like a dark cloud.

“Talk to me, babe.” The brunette rubbed her back.

“I had a meeting with Julia, she was basically trying to say that most of the work I do there isn’t important enough to continue.” The blonde shook her head. “The whole time I just wanted this.” She tightened her arms around Franky’s waist.

“Julia doesn’t get the final say on anything, right?” The brunette felt Bridget shake her head again.

“I love you, baby,” the blonde said as she placed a soft kiss on Franky’s neck. She felt the younger woman’s sigh of content.

“I love you, too.” Franky smiled. She’d stand there all day and let Bridget kiss her neck if that’s what the blonde wanted to do. “Do you want to change into something more comfortable? It might help you relax and feel a bit better.”

“Undress me?” Bridget placed another kiss on the brunette’s neck, parting her lips slightly to allow her to caress the skin with the tip of her tongue.

“Gidge, you’re a tease.” Franky let out a quiet laugh so that Emily wouldn’t hear. She didn’t want the young girl to interrupt them. “But I love it.” She had sensed that the blonde was about to pull away, and she wanted to make it clear that she didn’t mean for her to stop.

The brunette started with Bridget’s jacket. She placed her hands between the smooth, silky lining of the jacket and the blonde’s blouse. As Franky ran her hands up and across her shoulders, Bridget shrugged, and let the jacket fall to the floor. The older woman moved her lips closer to the brunette’s jaw. The room was quiet and she could hear Franky’s breathing pick up.

The younger woman reached down and pulled at the material of Bridget’s blouse to free it from her pants. Once it was loose, Franky worked her way up, unbuttoning each button slowly, and making sure to let her fingers brush against the blonde’s stomach as she went. Once it was completely undone, the younger woman repeated the same actions as with the jacket, and it joined the pile of clothes on the floor. With one hand, the brunette reached behind Bridget and unfastened her bra, which was discarded on top of the blouse and jacket.

The blonde switched to the opposite side of Franky’s neck, and felt a small vibration under her lips. The brunette slowly undid the button on Bridget’s pants, and pulled down the tab on the zipper. Franky flattened a hand against each of the older woman’s sides, and slid them inside her underwear. She worked slowly, pushing the fabric down first over the blonde’s hips, then butt. She bent slightly, forcing Bridget’s lips to leave her neck, and ran her hands down the backs of the other woman’s thighs until her pants and underwear hit the floor, and she was standing before the brunette completely naked. Franky placed a kiss on the blonde’s stomach, then chest, and finally her lips, as she stood up. 

The brunette walked over to the dresser and opened the top drawer. She selected a pair of underwear, and a loose-fitting pair of cotton pyjama pants. She handed them to Bridget before she opened another drawer and selected one of her own tshirts. 

“Here, babe.” Franky handed the shirt to the blonde, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. The younger woman sat down on the bed and watched her fiancée get dressed. “You’re so beautiful.”

Bridget smiled, and the brunette saw her cheeks turn a shade of pink.

“We should go see what Em is up to,” Franky said once the blonde was dressed. 

Bridget reached out for the younger woman’s hand and pulled her up off the bed. She held onto it as she led Franky to the bedroom door.

“I would have let you keep going.” The blonde glanced back over her shoulder to see the brunette’s reaction.

“I know.” Franky winked, making Bridget shake her head and laugh.

******** 

“What have you got there, bub?” Franky asked as Emily sat down between her and Bridget on the sofa with a box in her hands.

“The bracelet kit.” The young girl handed it to the brunette. Her birthday present from Vera had been craft kits, and this was one of them. “Can I make one?”

“Sure.” Franky gave her a smile. “Do you want me to open it for you?”

Emily nodded her head, and the brunette opened the box. She slid out the tray that contained all the items the young girl could use to make her creations. Franky helped her choose which colors of string she wanted to use, then helped her get started.

“It says you need to cut the string three times longer than the length you want the finished bracelet to be. Hold out your arm.” The brunette wrapped the string that Emily had chosen around the young girl’s wrist loosely three times then added a couple extra inches just in case. “There, so now we need the other colors cut to the same length as this piece.”

Emily sat quietly and worked. Before long she had finished her bracelet.

“Can you tie it on?” The young girl held up the bracelet.

“If I tie it, it has to stay on all the time until we cut it. Or we can use one of the clasps if you want to be able to take it off.” Franky wanted to make sure Emily understood that if she tied it on, the only way to remove it would ruin it.

“Even when I have a shower?” Emily looked at Franky, then at her aunt.

“Yeah. It’ll be okay though. It will dry after a few minutes.” Bridget reassured her.

“Okay, tie it.” The young girl held out her arm, and the brunette tied it on for her.

Emily set the tray on the coffee table, and studied her bracelet. After a couple of minutes, she picked it up again.

Franky felt something touch her wrist, and glanced down to see the young girl wrapping a piece of her string around it. The brunette turned her attention back to the television. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Emily check every couple of seconds to see if Franky had noticed what she was doing. The brunette knew it was supposed to be a surprise so she pretended that she hadn’t felt anything. 

When the young girl had finished with that one, she began to measure Bridget’s wrist, again trying to be covert about it. The blonde didn’t react, but simply caught Franky’s eye, and exchanged a small smile with her.

“This is for you.” Emily held out a bracelet to her aunt once she had finished it.

“Thank you, love. It’s very pretty.” Bridget held out her wrist to the brunette. “Can you tie it on, baby?”

“You’ll wear it everywhere?” the young girl asked, and her aunt nodded. “Even to work?”

“Even to work.” Bridget smiled when she saw how pleased Emily was that she liked it so much.

“This one is for you.” She held out the one she’d made for Franky.

The brunette held out her arm, and Bridget tied it on for her.

“Thanks, bub.” Franky gave the young girl a kiss on the top of her head.

“Are you going to wear it on the show?” Emily asked her.

“Yeah, that’s why I got Auntie to tie it.” It was the first time the young girl had mentioned the show since they’d told her about it. As the time drew closer though, they had both noticed that Emily had become a bit more clingy, especially with the brunette.

********

“I want you to undress then get into bed,” Bridget said quietly, as she broke their kiss. She saw a small smirk appear on the brunette’s face. “Just go lay down.” She let out a small laugh and gently pushed Franky towards the bed.

When the blonde made no move to follow, the younger woman gave her a questioning look.

“I need to get something. I’ll be there in a second.” Bridget answered the silent question as she took off her own clothes. She waited until Franky laid down in the bed, then opened the closet door.

“What are you getting, babe?” the brunette asked.

“You’re asking far too many questions.” The older woman still had her back to her fiancée, but she smiled to herself anyway as she opened a drawer in the closet organizer.

“It was only on-....ohh.” Franky stopped mid-sentence when she saw what the blonde was holding. “So I did get you all worked up earlier.” 

Bridget gave a small laugh. “No, well, yes, but that’s not what this is about.”

“What’s this about then?” The brunette propped herself up on her elbows, and watched the older woman as she walked towards her.

“It’s about me wanting to give you something you said you liked.” The blonde dropped the harness and dildo onto the other side of the bed as she climbed onto Franky’s lap.

The brunette took in the sight in front of her. Bridget giggled as Franky sat up more, and ran her hands over the older woman’s thighs.

“What’s the giggle for?” Franky asked as she placed a kiss on the blonde’s neck.

“You always look at me like you’re seeing me naked for the first time.” Bridget pulled back a bit so that she could capture the brunette’s lips.

“Maybe I just really like what I see.” Franky smiled at her, and let her thumbs brush across the blonde’s hip bones.

Bridget shivered and connected their lips again. She pushed the brunette back down onto the mattress. As Franky relaxed against the pillows, a thought crossed the blonde’s mind. If the younger woman liked to look at her so much, then maybe she’d make her just watch for a while. She knew Franky liked being in control in the bedroom; it came naturally to her and she was good at it. Bridget didn’t have a problem with that; she was equally comfortable with giving and receiving, but tonight she was in the mood to take control and have the brunette just come along for the ride.

She moved her hips against Franky. The contact felt good, and she watched as the brunette ran her eyes over her body again. Bridget pressed her hips down again, but this time she also moved her hand to her own breast and gave it a small squeeze. The brunette reached up to the blonde’s other breast.

“You only get to watch.” Bridget intercepted her hand, and guided it back to its previous spot on her hip. Franky gave her a small grin.

The blonde moved her hand from her breast, down her stomach, and let her fingers brush over her clit. She closed her eyes for a few seconds to enjoy the feeling of her fingertips lightly drawing patterns over the small bundle of nerves. She felt the brunette squirm beneath her,

Franky wanted to touch her. So far Bridget hadn’t stopped her from touching her thighs or hips, but she wasn’t letting her participate in anything else. Until she’d met the blonde, she’d never let the dynamic in the bedroom change much. With all the other women, she’d always been in control. Of course she let them touch her if they wanted, and bring her to orgasm, but there was never anything like this where she clearly was not in charge. She had learned though that it was something she liked a lot, at least with Bridget.

Franky watched as the blonde continued to touch herself. She gently pulled on Bridget’s legs, encouraging her to move a bit further up. This allowed the brunette to bend her knees slightly, which gave the blonde some support behind her. Bridget moved against her again, and Franky felt the warm wetness on her lower stomach. 

The brunette decided to see how far the ‘no touching’ rule actually went. She placed a hand on each side of the blonde’s rib cage. She could feel Bridget’s breathing pick up. Franky moved her hands slowly down, making sure her thumbs brushed over each freckle and sensitive spot along the way. When she got to the older woman’s thighs, she ran her hands down and then back up again. On the way up however, she made sure her thumbs brushed against the skin on the inside as close to the blonde’s folds as she thought she could get away with. 

Bridget smiled down at the brunette. The muscles in her right leg twitched as Franky touched her inner thigh again. She was getting close to her orgasm. The blonde picked up her pace with her fingers. She wanted her release, she wanted Franky to watch it, and perhaps most of all, she wanted to hear her name on the brunette’s lips when she gave her her own release later tonight.

Bridget felt Franky’s hands massaging her thighs. She was getting closer to touching the blonde, but at this point, the older woman didn’t care. It only took a few more movements of her fingers before her orgasm came over her. Her body shook, and she felt the brunette’s grip on her tighten, giving her some support. 

After the initial, intense waves were over, Bridget leaned forward and rested her body against Franky’s while she caught her breath. The brunette pushed her body against the older woman’s, and Bridget let out a small whimper. She was still sensitive from her orgasm.

The blonde placed a small kiss on Franky’s jaw, then lifted her head and placed another on her lips.

“That was really hot, babe,” the brunette said as she nipped at Bridget’s bottom lip.

The blonde smiled at her, and pushed herself up into a sitting position again. She reached over and grabbed the harness that she had laid on the other side of the bed earlier, and stood up. After she had secured the straps on her hips, she reached into the bedside table drawer and took out the bottle of lube.

“I doubt we’ll need that.” Franky chuckled.

“No?” Bridget gave her a playful smile as she laid back down in the bed beside the brunette.

“I think you underestimate the effect you have on me sometimes.” Franky pulled her in for a deep kiss. She could feel the dildo resting against her leg, and felt a pang of nervous excitement in her stomach. This was still something new to her; she’d only experienced it the one time with the blonde. She had liked it a lot though, and she trusted Bridget.

“You might be in trouble then,” Bridget said as she reached down to find the wetness that had gathered between the brunette’s legs.

The blonde let her fingers glide over Franky’s clit, causing the younger woman’s lips to part slightly. Her hand continued further and she slipped two fingers easily between the brunette’s folds. Bridget lowered her head and took one of Franky’s hardened nipples into her mouth. She held it between her teeth while she ran her tongue over it, eliciting a groan from the younger woman.

“Please, babe.” Franky was beyond turned on. She’d watched, and felt Bridget pleasure herself while sitting on top of her, and she was ready for the teasing to be over.

“Please what?” the blonde mumbled, her blue eyes watching the younger woman intently.

Franky didn’t respond, but reached down and hooked two fingers in the leather strap that ran over Bridget’s hip. She gave a small tug.

The blonde giggled and positioned herself on top of Franky. The brunette let her legs fall open, allowing Bridget to settle comfortably between them. 

The blonde lowered her head, and placed a kiss below Franky’s ear. “You like me on top, don’t you?” she whispered. 

“Yeah.” The brunette breathed out slowly. 

Bridget kissed her on the lips again, before she reached for the bottle of lube on the bedside table. She sat back so she was kneeling between Franky’s legs and let a few drops fall from the bottle onto the dildo.

“I just want to make sure it’s comfortable,” she said when she saw the questioning look on the brunette’s face. She closed the bottle and put it back on the table as she laid down on top of the younger woman again. 

Bridget kissed Franky slowly. She felt the brunette moving against her, trying to get some friction where she needed it. The older woman reached down and guided the dildo to Franky’s entrance. She pushed forward slowly, but the toy entered the other woman easily, and before she knew it, it was all the way in. 

“You alright?” Bridget whispered when she heard a sharp gasp come from the brunette.

“Yeah. It’s just cold,” Franky said, and they laughed together for a second.

“It’ll warm up quickly.” The blonde kissed her as she started to move her hips.

Bridget started slowly. The first time she’d done this with Franky, she was a bit more rushed. It was probably the excitement of the night mixed with the alcohol. She was in no hurry tonight, though.

“Mmm.” The brunette moaned against Bridget’s lips.

The blonde kissed across Franky’s jaw and began down the side of her neck. She knew the younger woman’s weaknesses and she intended to exploit every one of them. The brunette let out another moan.

“You like that, don’t you, baby?” Bridget smiled against Franky’s skin when she got only another moan in response. So much for the brunette being quiet during sex. 

With the blonde’s lips on her neck, Franky didn’t know how long she’d last. She felt Bridget pick up her pace ever so slightly. Each time she pulled back, the brunette felt the other woman roll her hips a bit so that the tip of the toy put some extra pressure against the front wall of her vagina. 

“Fuck, Gidge.” With each thrust, Franky could feel a jolt travel through her body right down to her toes. 

“Tell me what you want.” Bridget bit the skin on the brunette’s collarbone a bit harder than normal and heard a small gasp.

“A little harder, babe.” Franky could already feel herself tightening around the dildo. “That feels so good.”

The blonde could tell the younger woman was getting close. It would be easy for her to push her over the edge quickly, but she wanted to make her wait a bit longer. She complied with Franky’s request of ‘harder’, but she slowed her pace a bit. She made sure that she hit that spot on the younger woman’s front wall every time she pulled out. 

She continued this way for a couple minutes, enjoying the sounds that were spilling from Franky’s mouth. Every few seconds she’d place a kiss on her neck, cheek, or lips.

The brunette ran her hands up Bridget’s back and across her shoulders, causing her to shiver. She kissed Franky hard and sped up to her original pace again. She felt the younger woman’s fingers dig into the backs of her shoulders. It only took a couple more thrusts before the brunette came with a small groan. 

Bridget stilled her movements and allowed Franky to ride out her orgasm. When the younger woman’s breathing started to return to normal, the blonde slowly moved her hips again a couple of times. 

Franky moaned. “Fuck, Gidge.” She pushed herself against the toy.

“You want more, baby?” Bridget repositioned a bit to give herself more leverage. She felt the brunette’s hands on her butt.

This time she started out faster. The first time had been sweet and slow, this one, she sensed, wasn’t going to be as pretty.

“Faster, babe.” Franky pulled her in for a kiss.

The blonde knew she was getting deeper than she did the first time. When they broke the kiss, the brunette was breathing hard, and a thin layer of sweat had begun to form on her skin.

Bridget reached down and put one of Franky’s legs around her hip.

“Oh fuck.” The brunette wrapped her arms around the older woman’s neck and held on tightly. A steady string of moans falling from her lips.

The blonde sped up a bit more and it was only a couple of seconds before Franky came with a loud moan. She held on tightly to Bridget as she rode out her orgasm. When her body finally relaxed, she could already feel the sleepiness coming over her.

The blonde gave her a light kiss on the lips, and gently pulled out the toy. She moved to lay beside Franky where she unfastened the harness, and dropped it over the side of the bed. When Bridget turned back to face the younger woman, she could tell that she was already close to sleep. 

“The first time, I fucked you speechless. This time I made you unconscious,” the blonde said with a small laugh.

“Come here,” Franky mumbled. She pulled Bridget close to her. “That was really fucking hot, babe. It felt good.”

The blonde smiled and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. “I’m glad. I love you, baby.”

“I love you, too, Gidge.” 

The last word was so soft that Bridget wasn’t sure if the brunette had actually said it, or if she’d just imagined it. Either way, she was happy that her fiancée was content, and happy.


	57. Chapter 57

“Gidge?” Franky whispered quietly. 

It was two in the morning and she hadn’t been able to close her eyes yet. She had to be on set to start filming in the morning, and her mind wouldn’t shut off. Part of her hoped that Bridget was able to sleep since she had to work the next day as well, but the other part of her hoped that she was awake enough to hear her quiet words.

“Mm?” The blonde’s reply came only a second later. 

Suddenly the younger woman was at a loss for words. Asking if Bridget was awake seemed stupid since clearly, she was. They had already talked through all of Franky’s concerns and anxieties, and she felt bad to keep bringing it up, especially in the middle of the night. She hoped that maybe the blonde would just fall back to sleep.

“Baby?” Bridget turned in the brunette’s arms so that she was now facing her. She reached up and placed a hand on Franky’s cheek. “Talk to me.”

“I’m sorry I woke you.” The brunette watched as the older woman shook her head.

“I was awake. Tell me what’s wrong.” Bridget snuggled in closer.

“I just can’t stop thinking about everything. We’ve already talked about all of it, but my brain still won’t shut up.” Franky sighed. “I’m going to go sleep in the spare room. There’s no point in both of us losing a night’s sleep.”

The blonde tightened her arms around the younger woman when she felt her try to move away. “Don’t you dare.” There was no way she wanted Franky laying by herself when she was feeling troubled. “Talk to me.”

“It’s nothing specific. My body just feels hyped up, you know?” The brunette lifted her head and looked at the clock over Bridget’s shoulder. “And it’s already two in the morning.”

The blonde reached behind her and turned the clock around. “First of all, stop watching the clock. That’s the worst thing you can do.”

“I just-...there’s so much....” Franky let out a long breath.

Bridget could tell that the brunette was getting frustrated. She suspected that at this point it might not even be the worries that were keeping Franky awake, but just the fact that she was putting too much pressure on herself to fall asleep.

“Shh, baby.” The blonde reached up, and put her hand around behind the other woman’s head. She let her fingers move slowly up and down the nape of Franky’s neck from her hairline to the top of her back. Bridget gave her a soft kiss on the lips. “You can feel me breathing?”

“Yeah,” the brunette whispered softly. She knew she was holding her tighter than usual, but it felt good to have the older woman close.

“Okay, just focus on me. Focus on my hand and my breathing,” the blonde said softly.

There was enough light coming in from outside that she could just barely see the pulse in Franky’s neck. It was fast, but after a couple minutes she could see it had slowed some. She gave the brunette a small kiss on the corner of her mouth and heard a contented sigh. Bridget knew she’d probably need a whole pot of coffee to get through the next morning, but she was willing to do whatever it took to make Franky feel better.

********

The brunette was still asleep when Bridget woke in the morning. She knew Franky already had her things packed, so she decided she’d make breakfast, and let her get a few more minutes of sleep. As soon as she moved, the other woman began to stir.

“Go back to sleep for a bit, baby. I’ll make breakfast.” The blonde gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.

“I want to get up. I want to see you and Em before I leave.” Franky rubbed her eyes and sat up on the edge of the bed.

“Okay, but I’m still cooking.” Bridget was proud of the cooking skills she’d acquired since she’d met the brunette.

“Alright.” Franky gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll wake Em.”

Bridget was in the middle of cooking when the brunette emerged from the hallway carrying the young girl. She gave Franky a questioning look, and the younger woman just shook her head.

Franky bent down and sat Emily on one of the stools in the kitchen. The young girl had her arms wrapped around the brunette’s neck, and refused to let go.

“You need to let go, bub. I’m not leaving yet,” the younger woman said quietly.

“No.” Emily held on tighter.

Franky sighed, reached her hands under the young girl’s legs, and picked her up again. This time she walked to the couch and sat down. If Emily wasn’t going to let go of her, she was at least going to be comfortable. The young girl snuggled in closer against the brunette and Franky felt like she was being pinned against the back of the couch.

“Hey, just loosen your arms a bit, bub,” Franky whispered as she rubbed her back. “Tell me what’s wrong.” 

“I don’t want you to go.” Emily’s voice gave away the fact that she was crying.

“I know, but we talked about this. I’ll be back as often as I can, I promise.” The brunette kissed the side of her head. “I need you to do me a favor though, okay? I need you to be brave and look after Auntie. She’s sad I’m going away, too. So I need you to help her while I’m gone, alright? Can you do that?”

The young girl lifted her head. “Yeah.”

“You can? Good!” Franky gave her a smile.

“Are you going to take me to school?” Emily asked quietly. Tomorrow would be the start of first grade for the young girl.

“I can’t, I’m sorry. Auntie is going to take some pictures for me though, and when I call, I want to hear all about it, okay?” The brunette wiped the tears from Emily’s cheeks. “Liz told me she has some fun stuff planned for you guys today.”

“Where do I go after school if you’re not there?” The young girl wasn’t crying, but Franky could tell it was barely contained.

“Remember we said Liz was going to help us with that? She’s teaching my classes while I’m away, so you can hang out with her like you and I did. Bea is still there too. You liked her, yeah?” The brunette watched while Emily nodded. “She said you could come visit with her if you wanted.”

“When will you be back?” the young girl asked quietly.

“I don’t know.” Franky hated her answer.

Emily’s bottom lip quivered.

“I have to stay there, it’s the rules. I know you’re not happy, neither am I, but I’ll do my best to come visit. I just don’t know when that will happen.” The brunette didn’t know what to say to make the young girl feel better without lying to her, which she refused to do.

“Breakfast is ready guys.” Bridget had given them as long as she could, but she knew Franky had an early call at the studio.

********

“I love you, babe.” The brunette gave Bridget another kiss. She’d already said her goodbyes to Emily, and now she and the blonde were standing in the driveway beside her car.

“I love you, too.” The older woman brushed her thumb across Franky’s cheek. “One thing before you go. I know you want to keep your personal life private on set, but you may have to open up a bit so that people don’t feel like you’re too disconnected from them.”

“What do you mean?” the brunette asked.

“I mean...” Bridget took a breath. “People are going to ask questions about you. They’re going to try to get to know you. They’re going to wonder if you have a family. You’re getting some special perks, so just maybe relax your rules on that a little bit.”

Franky nodded. She knew what the blonde was saying. She’d been very withholding with Jillian at first, and it hadn’t worked as well for her as opening up a bit did. It wasn’t until she explained her reasoning behind wanting time at home that the producer had agreed that they may be able to work something out that would let Franky see them a bit. She gave Bridget a final kiss before she got in her car and headed to the studio.

When the brunette pulled into the parking lot, she sat for a moment, calming herself. She repeated everything that Bridget had told her. She reminded herself that she was doing this for her family; for Emily and Bridget and their future child, but also for Liz who had given her so much. Anything she gained from this, she’d use to provide for them. When she felt like she was ready, she grabbed her bag out of the back of the car and started walking towards the entrance. 

As soon as she entered, someone took her bag from her. She was brought onto the main kitchen set.

“If you’ll just stand there.” A young man in a headset pointed to a spot on the floor.

One by one the other contestants were brought in and lined up along with the brunette. Franky studied each one of them. There was an equal mix of men and women and she guessed they aged from their early twenties all the way up to mid-fifties.

The brunette shifted uncomfortably. She didn’t know what was going on. She thought they’d at least allow them to settle in before they started filming, but here she was, standing on set, with the full crew in front of her.

The young man who had brought her in earlier, returned with a young girl Franky judged to be no more than twenty or twenty one. The brunette gave her a small smile that wasn’t returned. Franky thought the girl looked like she was five seconds away from throwing up.

“You know, it’s probably not a good look if you spew on set the first day.” The brunette caught a small smile on the girl’s face out of the corner of her eye. 

“I’m just really nervous.” She wiped her hands on her pants.

“We all are. It’ll be alright.” Franky was nervous too, but she had the ability to be comforting to others, even when she herself was freaking out on the inside.

“Okay, listen up everyone!” Jillian was standing in front of the contestants. “As you know, part of the show is your ability to work under pressure. So we’re starting right off with filming the first episode. You’ll have one hour to create one of the dishes you listed on your application form. You won’t know which one until you see the ingredients we’ve placed at your stations. The head chef this season is Jared Martin. He’ll come out and tell you basically the same thing I just did, then you’ll get to work.”

Franky recognized the name; Jared Martin. She’d seen him on TV a few times, and his restaurants in the city always got rave reviews. She remembered that he’d always seemed nice in the interviews and cooking segments, but she’d reserve judgement until she saw how he was going to act here.

The brunette listened to Jared repeat pretty much word for word what Jillian had said earlier. When she reached her station and opened the ingredient box, she knew exactly which recipe of hers they had chosen. It wouldn’t be easy with the time limit they were given, but she figured that was probably the point.

The girl who had been standing beside Franky earlier had ended up working beside her in the kitchen as well. They were almost twenty minutes into the challenge, and the brunette could tell that things next door weren’t going well.

“Shit. Shit!” The girl sighed and laid down her knife.

“You need a smaller angle on your blade.” Franky had been watching her. The girl had been trying to slice the meat she was using paper-thin, but it kept coming out too thick. 

“What?” She wiped her face with the towel she had hanging over her shoulder.

“I didn’t catch your name earlier.” In all honesty, the brunette didn’t think she’d missed it, they just hadn’t done introductions yet.

“Jenna.” She shook her hands to try and loosen up.

“Well, Jenna, I’m Franky. And you need more of an angle between the meat and the blade to get the cut you're looking for.” Franky watched while Jenna picked up the knife again.

“Like this?” She held the blade against the meat and waited for the brunette to assess her correction.

“More like this.” Franky reached out and put her hand over the one Jenna was holding the knife with, and turned it a bit more. “When you cut, be decisive. If you hesitate, you won’t get a clean slice.” She watched while the girl tried her suggestion and got a perfect slice.

“Thanks.” She smiled at the brunette. Franky simply nodded and went back to making her dish.

The brunette had just finished plating her dish when the timer sounded. She placed the cover over it, and hoped that she’d done well enough to at least not have it spat back out by the chef. She watched while he tasted some of the other dishes. She was relieved that even when she could tell he didn’t like a dish, he just gave some constructive criticism and moved on to the next contestant. 

When Jared arrived to taste Jenna’s dish, Franky could feel the waves of nausea in her stomach. Maybe he would hate hers. Maybe he’d been nice to everyone so far because their dishes were all really good and hers would be the one he absolutely hated, 

“Very nice, Jenna. It’s sliced beautifully, and you have a good flavor in the sauce. I would go a little lighter on the garlic next time though.” He smiled at her. “Overall very good though.”

The brunette could see how relieved the girl next to her looked. Jared took a drink of water as he walked to her workstation, and before she knew it, it was her turn.

“What do we have here?” he asked, lifting the cover off her plate.

“Ginger glazed Mahi Mahi with roasted wild mushrooms and baby potatoes.” Franky knew she probably sounded like a robot reciting lines right now, but she was just trying not to fuck it up.

“That’s an ambitious dish.” Jared picked up a fork and took a piece of the mahi mahi. He nodded slowly then picked up some of the mushroom and potato side. He thought for a minute, tapping the fork against his lip, then took another piece of the fish. “That’s really good. I would put a bit more ginger in it if I were making it, but that’s just a personal preference. I like spicy stuff. This is delicious though. Well done.” He gave the brunette a smile before moving on to the next contestant.

Franky rested her forearms against the countertop and let out a long breath. She bent over, stretching her back muscles. It felt good; she hadn’t realized how tense she’d been standing there waiting.

They spent the rest of the day doing interviews, being introduced to each other, and getting settled into the dorm. The network had ordered them a catered meal for supper so they wouldn’t have to cook for themselves on the first day.

********

“How was your day with Liz?” Bridget asked as she glanced at her niece in the rearview mirror.

“It was okay.” Emily watched out the window as they drove. “She let me have chocolate.”

The blonde smiled to herself. Liz really did treat the young girl like a grandchild. She loved giving her treats. Bridget suspected that today however, it might have served a second purpose of cheering her up a bit.

“I bought some chicken for tonight. I thought we could make quesadillas together.” She remembered how Emily had made them for her and Franky once, and thought maybe she’d like to help out again this time.

“Okay.” The young girl was still just looking out the window.

Bridget decided not to push the conversation any more. It was clear that Emily wasn’t in a cheery mood, and if the blonde was being honest with herself, neither was she. This would be the first time she’d be spending the nights alone since Franky was released from prison. 

********

The brunette was unpacking the few items she’d brought and placing them in the small closet.

“Looks like we’re neighbors.” Jenna smiled at her as she opened her bag. They hadn’t gotten to choose their own beds. Whoever had taken their suitcases when they arrived had placed each one on one of the single beds. “Thanks for your help earlier. You’re good at that.”

“Yeah, no problem. I teach cooking classes.” Franky closed the bag, and put it in her storage area.

She had left out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt which she grabbed off the bed. It had been a long day, and all she wanted to do was change into her comfortable clothes and find somewhere to relax.

She headed across the hallway to the bathroom. Once she was inside she locked the door, turned off her mic, and retrieved her mobile phone that she had wrapped up in the t-shirt. They had told her that she’d only be allowed to use the phone in the interview room, but they had forgotten to make her turn it in. She figured that since there were no cameras or microphones in the bathrooms that she’d be safe using it here too. Phone calls might be too risky, but she’d be able to send and check messages.

There was a message from Bridget that simply said _‘I love you and I’m proud of you, baby.’_. It was sent not long after Franky had arrived on set. Probably around the same time the blonde was starting work for the day. She quickly typed out a reply of _‘I love you, too xo’_ and hit send. 

It was then that she saw the time displayed on the screen. It was later than she’d thought. If she wanted to call them tonight, she’d have to do it now or else Emily would already be in bed. She listened for a moment to see how much sound made its way into the bathroom from outside. She figured if she could hear the others, they’d be able to hear her talking as well. She couldn’t hear anything, so she made her call.

********

The majority of the evening passed by quietly. Emily had helped her make supper, then they made sure she had everything ready that she’d need for school the next day. Bridget even made her choose an outfit to wear in case the morning didn’t go so smoothly. 

The blonde’s phone rang on the couch beside her. She glanced at the display, and saw Franky’s name. She quickly answered.

“Hey, baby.” Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Emily moving from her spot on the couch to come sit beside her.

“Hey, Gidge.” The brunette’s voice sounded tired.

“Franky?” the young girl asked, trying to get close to the phone, as if being closer would allow her to see who was on the other end of the line. 

Bridget nodded and reached out to gently move Emily back a few inches. She held up a finger, silently telling her niece to wait for a minute.

“You doing okay?” The blonde knew ‘okay’ would be a relative thing for the next while.

“Yeah, it’s just been a long day, and I miss you guys.” Franky let out a sigh. 

“We miss you too.” Bridget could see that the young girl beside her was getting impatient. “I’ll let you talk to Em for a second first, okay?”

“Sure.” The brunette could imagine that Emily was eager to get the phone. “I only have a few minutes tonight. They did the interviews early today and you would have still been at work, so I couldn’t call then. I’m hiding out in the bathroom right now.”

“Okay, I’ll put her on.” Bridget handed the phone to Emily. “Just for a minute though, alright? She can’t talk very long tonight.” The blonde wanted to give her fair warning that she wouldn’t get long to speak with Franky.

Emily nodded as she took the phone. “Franky! I miss you.” 

“I know, bub. I miss you, too.” Franky did her best not to sound too down. “Did you help Liz today?”

“Yeah, she gave me chocolate.” Emily glanced over at her aunt quickly. “I still have some left.”

“What!? She paid you in chocolate? She never pays me in chocolate. She must like you better.” The brunette pretended to sound surprised but it didn’t shock her at all that Liz was giving out treats to the girl. “Be careful or Auntie will want to share the extra you brought home.” Franky heard Emily giggle and it lightened her mood a bit. “Are you all ready for school tomorrow?”

“Yeah, but I’m scared.” Emily had gotten quiet.

“It’s okay to be nervous, but everything will be okay. You’ll get to see all the other kids, and find out who your teacher is.” The brunette wanted very much to be able to drop her off the next morning for her first day. “Be a brave girl for me, okay?”

“I’ll try.” The young girl nodded as though Franky could see her.

“Alright, good. Can I talk to Auntie now? I only have a minute or two before I’ll have to go for tonight.” She really didn’t want to end the conversation.

“Okay.” Emily said it in such a way that the brunette knew she was hesitant to give up the phone.

“I love you, bub.” 

“I love you, too,” the young girl said softly then handed the phone to her aunt.

“Is she doing okay?” Franky asked.

“Yeah, about as expected.” Bridget didn’t want to say too much with Emily right there.

“Are you doing okay?” The brunette realized she hadn’t asked the older woman that yet.

“So far, so good. Better now that we’ve heard from you.” Bridget smiled to herself.

“Good.” Franky could hear people starting to move around outside the door, and realized they were probably done unpacking their things. “I should go now before someone wanders by and hears me. I’ll be able to talk longer tomorrow though.”

“Okay, I love you, baby.” The blonde knew she’d already said that multiple times that day, but she said it again anyway.

“I love you, too.” The brunette was about to hang up when she remembered what Emily had told her. “Oh! Gidge?”

“Yeah?”

“She’s got chocolate stashed somewhere.” Franky gave a small laugh. She wouldn’t usually tattle on the young girl, but she could picture it ending up melted in the bed or being eaten for breakfast. 

Bridget chuckled a bit. “Yeah, I heard. I’ll look after it. Goodnight, baby.” 

“Goodnight, Gidge.” The brunette hung up. She knew if she didn’t, they’d end up playing the game of who was going to give in and end the call.

Bridget heard the line go silent, and placed her phone on the coffee table.

“Time to go get ready for bed, love.” The blonde was curious to see how this was going to go. “I’ll be in to read you your story in a few minutes.”

“Can I sleep in your room tonight?” Emily hadn’t moved from her spot on the couch.

“No, you have to sleep in your own bed.” Bridget had been expecting this question.

“But you miss Franky,” the young girl said matter of factly.

“Yeah, but…” The blonde couldn’t find the reasoning behind her niece’s statement.

“Franky said you were sad too and that I had to look after you so I have to keep you company.” Emily looked like she was taking the brunette’s request very seriously.

Bridget thought for a minute. They had rules for when the young girl was allowed to sleep in their bed, and she knew if they started making exceptions, she’d try more often than not to spend the night with them. On the other hand, in Emily’s mind, she was just doing what Franky asked her to. She found sleeping in their bed comforting, and since the blonde was upset, the young girl thought she would be comforted in the same way.

“You’ve done a very good job so far, and I really enjoyed our evening, but I promise I’ll be okay by myself tonight. I know you’re right across the hall if I need anything. Okay?” Bridget felt kind of silly; like the tables had been momentarily turned.

“But you sleep with Franky every night.” Emily still hadn’t moved off the couch.

“Yes, that’s different though.” The blonde really didn’t want to pull out the ‘because I said so’ card, but she felt like that wasn’t far off.

“Why?” 

“Because it is.” Bridget sighed. “Em, love, please just go get ready for bed.” She caught the look on the young girl’s face. Emily wasn’t used to not getting answers to her questions. The blonde loved that her niece was curious, and she didn’t want to discourage that. “We can talk about this some other time if you want, but right now you need to go to bed....in your own bed.”

Emily got up without another word, and walked down the hallway to her bedroom. Bridget then heard her go into the bathroom, and a few minutes later she heard her go back to her room. The blonde made her way to the young girl’s bedroom to say goodnight.

“Would you like a story tonight?” Bridget asked as she tucked in her niece.

Emily nodded, and the blonde took their usual book off the shelf. She picked one of her favorite stories, and before she was done reading, the young girl was asleep.

She quietly put the small chair back at the table, and was just putting the book away on the shelf when there was a knock at the door. She glanced back at Emily to make sure she was still asleep, and hurried to answer it before whoever it was knocked again.

Bridget opened the door to find one of the neighbors standing there. It was the elderly woman who lived across the street. They didn’t know each other very well, but they did speak or have a short chat occasionally if they ran into each other outside.

“Oh, hey, Mrs. Campbell. Is everything alright?” Bridget was worried something was wrong for her to be knocking on her door so late.

“Yes, dear, everything is fine. I’m so sorry to bother you so late. And please, call me Elinor.” She gave her a warm smile.

“It’s okay, Elinor. What do you need? Would you like to come in?” Bridget stepped aside, but the elderly lady didn’t move.

“No. Thanks. Actually, I’ve come to ask a favour. We’ve just gotten word that our granddaughter has had her baby, and we’re going to visit them.” She was talking excitedly. “I was hoping you wouldn’t mind feeding the cat while we’re away.” Elinor held out a key. “His food is in the cupboard beside the sink. He gets one package a day and a scoop of the dry food. I’m sorry to ask on such short notice, I just don’t really know anyone else around here.”

“It’s no problem.” Bridget took the key from her. “What’s his name?”

“Fred. He’ll probably just hide when you come in.” The elderly woman took the blonde’s hand. “Thanks again. Feel free to have a swim in the pool too if you like. It’s supposed to be a hot one this week.”

“Oh, well thank you, and it’s no problem. Don’t worry, Fred’s in good hands.” Bridget watched as she walked back across the street.

The blonde closed the door, then listened carefully. She didn’t hear anything, which meant that Emily must still be asleep. She tossed the key into the basket in the hallway where they kept theirs, and decided she’d watch one more episode of her show before she went to bed.

********

Franky sat on her bed, leaning against the wall. It was dark, but her eyes had adjusted enough that she could just make out the other beds in the room. It seemed like everyone was fast asleep. She looked at the big clock on the wall. It was just after two. 

Sleeping without Bridget was hard enough, but the single bed and close proximity of the others was reminding her of her time in Wentworth. The more she thought about it, the more restless she got. She decided that if she was going to sit awake all night, she’d rather be out on the patio, so she quietly climbed off her bed and headed outside.

From the living area she could see that the outside lights were already on. At first she thought maybe they’d forgotten to turn them off, but then she saw someone in one of the lounge chairs. It was Shayne, a young aboriginal guy she guessed was barely old enough to be on the show. He had seemed pretty laid back when they all hung out earlier.

“Can’t sleep either?” she asked as she took a seat in one of the other lounge chairs.

“Nah.” Shayne shook his head. “You want some?” He held out the joint he was smoking to her.

“I’m good, thanks.” For half a second she had considered it. It might slow her mind enough to let her get to sleep, but in the end she decided against it.

“You’re Franky, right?” he asked.

“That’s me.” She laid back in the chair and looked up at the sky. “Shayne?”

“Yep.” He nodded his head. “I like your tats.” 

“Thanks. You got any?” 

“Yeah, just one.” He held out his arm so she could see the anatomical heart on the inside of his forearm. It looked like it had a stitch through it. “It means ‘cross your heart, hope to die’. Kind of like ‘keep your promises’, you know?”

“Yeah. It’s a good thing to keep in mind.” 

“I saw you help that girl today. She was freaking out a bit.” He reached down and stubbed out the joint on the cement.

“She let her nerves get the better of her. She wouldn’t be here if she wasn’t good.” Franky leaned forward in the chair. Even out here she was still feeling restless.

“For sure. I was just going to say it was nice of you. Most people would have just watched her struggle.” He gave the brunette a small smile.

“I teach for a living, so yeah, kind of couldn’t help it.” Franky returned his smile.

“Teaching would be great, I think. Maybe someday, I’ve got a lot to learn first.” Shayne yawned and stretched his arms over his head. “I’m surprised I got on here, really. I’ve only been cooking for a couple years. It’s kept me out of trouble.” He caught the brunette’s look. “I was kind of a bad kid. Got in trouble, got bumped from one foster home to another. Some were okay, but most were shitty. Never got to stay at the good ones for long it seemed.”

“Ditto.” Franky almost felt like she was looking at a younger male version of herself.

“You were a foster kid too?” 

The brunette felt her body stiffen. Why was she out here in the middle of the night telling stuff like this to a complete stranger probably with cameras all around them recording it? Bridget’s words came into her head, ‘just relax your rules a little bit’.

“Yeah, I was. Eventually I got in trouble and ended up with community service at a soup kitchen. I met a woman there who became my mentor.” Franky felt bad calling Liz her mentor. She was so much more than that. The brunette considered her to be more like a mother than a mentor.

“But you made it out and now you’re here.” Shayne watched as Franky nodded slowly. “You got a family now?”

“Uh…yeah. Yeah I do.” She shifted uncomfortably. 

“Hey, listen, I talk too much but I’m just curious about people.” He gave a small laugh and held up his hands. “Feel free to tell me to shut up and mind my own business.”

“Shut up and mind your own business.” Franky got through the line before they both laughed.

“Alright, we’ll save the stories for another night. I’m gonna hit the bed.” He got up and started walking towards the patio door. “You’re a cool chick, Franks.” He called over his shoulder before disappearing into the house.

The brunette just smiled and shook her head. She wasn’t ready to go back inside yet. She turned off all but one of the small lights outside, and laid down on the couch, looking up into the night sky. She knew Bridget was only a few kilometers away but it felt way too far.

********

Bridget woke just before her alarm clock was set to go off. She reached up and flipped the switch so that her ears were spared the harsh tone so early in the morning. As she moved, she felt a weight stir behind her on the other side of the bed.

The blonde turned onto her other side, and saw that at some point through the night, Emily had taken Franky’s spot in the bed. Bridget sighed. Her niece had broken their rules and had specifically gone against what she had been told the night before, but she looked so peaceful laying there asleep. She hadn’t woken the blonde, so Bridget assumed that she wasn’t feeling sick or had a bad dream. She was willing to bet that Emily was there because Franky had told her to take care of her. 

Bridget reached for her phone on the bedside table and took a picture of the sleeping girl. She sent it to Franky with the caption: _‘Following your orders and looking after me’_. She knew the brunette wouldn’t get it until sometime that night, but sending it made the situation feel a little more normal. She’d definitely have a talk with Emily later though about sneaking into their room.

“Em, time to wake up.” Bridget brushed the backs of her fingers over Emily’s cheek.

“Cuddle,” the young girl mumbled into the pillows.

“What?” The blonde couldn’t make out what she’d said.

“Cuddle.” Emily said it clearer this time and reached out for her aunt.

“Ohh. Okay, but just for a minute, then we have to get up and ready.” Bridget wrapped her arms around the young girl. She wanted to keep her talking too so she wouldn’t fall back to sleep. “You excited for your first day of first grade?”

“Kind of.” Emily buried her face in more against the blonde’s shoulder.

“Hey, hey, don’t get too comfy.” Bridget gave her a squeeze and she giggled. “You’ll get to see Charlotte.”

“I wish Mia went to my school.” 

“I know, love. You can have her over to play though.” The blonde thought it was unfortunate that the one child her niece had really bonded with lived just far enough away that she went to a different school. “Okay, we really need to get up now. You can have more cuddles before bed tonight if you want.” Bridget gave her a kiss on the forehead and turned over to get out of the bed.

On the first day of classes, the parents were allowed to walk with their kids to the classroom since they would have all their extra supplies to carry with them. Emily held onto Bridget’s hand tightly as they walked down the hallway. The blonde had taken a picture of her niece at their house before they left, and standing at the front door of the school. She wanted to get one of her sitting at her desk as well if she could since she knew Franky was upset that she couldn’t be there with them. 

“So you’re in room five this year. That’s right beside where you were last year.” Bridget felt like she was talking to herself since Emily had gone quiet. “Here we are.”

“Hey, good morning, Emily.” Ms. Williams greeted them when they entered the classroom. “Hi, Bridget.” The teacher gave her a warm smile.

“Are, uh, are we in the right room?” The blonde turned and double checked the number on the door.

“Yeah, you are.” Ms. Williams gave a small laugh. “I moved up a grade too this year. I’m kind of new so they put me wherever there’s an open job. This is the first year I’ve even gotten to stay in the same school.”

“Oh, well that’s good. Em enjoyed being in your class last year.” Bridget watched as Emily made her way to her desk. “Do you mind if I get a picture of her then I’d like to talk with you for a minute if I could?”

“Yeah, sure. Take your time.” She gave the blonde another smile then went to greet another student who had just arrived.

“Smile, love.” The blonde snapped a picture of Emily sitting in her desk. “I’m going to go to work now, okay? You go to the Centre and stay with Liz after school and I’ll pick you up there when I’m done.” Emily nodded, but Bridget saw tears in the young girl’s eyes. “Hey, no tears, alright? Be brave for me.” She gave her niece a kiss on the cheek then went to find her teacher. They stepped out into the hallway so Emily wouldn’t overhear.

“Is everything alright?” the teacher asked Bridget. She must have sensed Emily’s upset.

“Yeah, uh, yeah. I just wanted to let you know that for the next few weeks, if you need to reach someone during the day, you won’t be able to get a hold of Franky. She’s doing something different for work for a bit and she’s not available. I’ve left another number at the office though for Liz Birdsworth. If you can’t contact me, you can call her. She’s looking after Em after school. In a couple months though everything will be back to normal.” The blonde could sense that she was talking fast. “Franky really wanted to be here today.”

“Ohh, that explains why Emily seems a bit down. She always talked about going with her after school.” Ms. Williams glanced into the classroom at the young girl.

“She’ll be doing the same thing with Liz as she did with Franky, but, you know, Liz isn’t Franky.” Bridget shrugged.

“Yeah.” The teacher smiled at her. “No worries. I’ll keep an eye on her.”

“Thanks.” The blonde returned her smile, and headed back to her car.

********

Day two on set seemed to have a lot of downtime, and Franky didn’t like it. The only time she liked not having something to do was when she was spending time with Bridget or Emily. She’d lay in bed with her fiancée all day, or sit with the young girl and have a cartoon marathon, but ask her to do either of those things alone and she’d feel like she was going crazy after about an hour. She also hated it because it made her think that she really didn’t need to be living there, none of them did. She hoped that the lull was only because things were just getting started, and they’d pick up in the following days.

She did her interview sometime late in the morning, and other than that she tried to look busy studying the info pack they’d all been given when they arrived. It contained a detailed breakdown of what they’d be doing each day, as well as the menu for the first night of competition.

It didn’t look too bad, but she knew that it wasn’t the difficulty of the dishes that would sink you on a show like this. It was the inability to work under pressure and as a team. She’d watched some clips of a similar style show on YouTube, and saw the chefs, who were mostly very good at what they did, mess up the simplest thing because they were more busy arguing with a teammate than cooking.

“What do you think of this?” Shayne dropped onto the couch beside her with his copy of the menu in his hand.

“Looks simple enough.” Franky shrugged.

“There’s a couple dishes on here I haven’t made before.” Shayne sounded almost embarrassed to admit it.

“Don’t worry about it. We get some classes, and I can help you.” The brunette flipped to the next page.

“Why do you think they haven’t told us who’s on which team yet?” he asked, watching a few of the others as they moved through the common area.

“They probably don’t know yet.” Franky glanced over and saw the puzzled look on his face. “I’d say they’re watching how we interact with each other and they’ll pair us up with the people we don’t get along as well with.”

“Why would they do that?”

“Drama,” the brunette answered without looking up from the paper in front of her.

Shayne nodded, but didn’t say anything more.

It wasn’t long after supper was finished that Franky was called to the interview room for the second time that day. She stopped by the bedroom on her way there and grabbed her mobile. When she entered the room, there were no crew members there like there normally was, but instead there was just Jillian.

“Franky.” The producer gave her a smile. “I trust everything is going well so far.”

“As well as expected, yeah.” The brunette wasn’t feeling overly stressed yet, but she had found the day long and boring.

“That’s good...I guess.” Jillian hesitated for a second. “But anyway, as promised, this is your time to call home. You’ve got thirty minutes before you’ll have to go back out, and you’ll have to turn in your phone. Sorry. Someone should have gotten it from you when you first arrived.”

“Sure, thanks.” Franky took her phone out of her pocket and settled into one of the chairs as the other woman made her way out of the room. She had been hoping they’d forget that she wasn’t supposed to be allowed to keep it.

The first thing she saw when she turned it on was the picture that Bridget had sent her that morning of Emily in their bed, then the ones she had taken that morning at the school. She smiled despite the tears in her eyes. She selected the blonde’s number in her phone, and waited for her to answer.

“Franky!” It was Emily, not Bridget who answered.

“Hey, bub!” The brunette let out a small laugh at hearing how excited the young girl was. “How was your first day of school?”

“It was okay. Where are you?”

“I’m on set, remember? Hold the phone in front of you and I’ll show you.” Franky switched to a video call and saw Emily and Bridget’s faces on her screen. “See?” She moved her phone so that they could get a view of the room.

“Hey, baby.” The blonde gave her a warm smile. 

“Hey, Gidge.” The brunette returned her smile.

“Tell Franky about school, love.” Bridget prompted her niece.

“I have Ms. Williams again, and Charlotte is in my class, but not Mia.” Emily had effectively summed up her day in one sentence.

“You have the same teacher again?” Franky saw Emily nod. “Well that’s good, since you liked her. I saw the pictures that Auntie sent too. You looked very nice today.”

“Auntie Bridge made me pick it out before I went to bed.” 

“That was a smart idea.” The brunette didn’t mention the picture of the young girl in bed. Since Emily hadn’t brought it up, she thought she may not know that Bridget had taken it.

The young girl turned to her aunt. “Charlotte asked if I could sleep over at her place on Friday night.”

“Oh, that’s nice of her,” Bridget said with a smile. “Do you want to go?” 

“I don’t know.” The young girl shrugged. 

“You should go, Em. You’ll have fun.” The brunette thought it would be good for Emily to spend some time with her friend. It would also give Bridget some time alone.

“But what if you come home? I don’t want to miss it.” 

“I really don’t think I’ll be home then, bub. You shouldn’t miss out on things just to stay home and wait for me.” Franky didn’t want her to constantly sit home waiting for her. That would be hard on both the young girl, and Bridget.

“Okay, but I want to come home early. Before lunch.” Emily gave Bridget a serious look. She wasn’t spending any more time than necessary away from the house, just in case.

“I’ll pick you up before lunch. Promise.” There was something about the look on Emily’s face that made her seriousness humorous, but both adults managed to hold it together.

They all chatted for a bit longer, then Bridget sent Emily to get washed up and changed for bed so she could have a few minutes to talk with Franky alone. She waited until she heard the water running in the bathroom before she spoke. 

“I’m glad she decided to go,” the blonde said with a small smile.

“Me too. I thought maybe you’d like the alone time as well.” The brunette had that cocky smile on her face. 

“You’ve got a dirty mind.” Bridget gave a small laugh.

“So do you apparently, because all I was thinking is you could you know, have a bath and read a book or something.” Franky glanced around to make sure there were no crew members listening in.

“Or something?” the blonde asked. She could play the younger woman’s game.

“Or something.” Franky scrunched up her nose a bit and smiled.

The time passed too quickly and before the brunette knew it, it was time to say goodbye. Emily was back from getting ready for bed, and they said a round of ‘goodnights’ and ‘I love yous’ before they ended the call.

Franky looked at the blank screen and sighed. She sat there for a minute before she felt ready to go back and join the others.

********

“Can’t sleep again either?” Franky was quietly making her way to the kitchen to get a glass of water, when she heard Shayne’s voice from the living room.

“Uh, yeah, I guess not.” She gave him a smile . “I thought everyone was asleep.”

“I don’t really sleep.” He let out a small laugh. “I was just on my way to sit outside for a bit if you want to join me.” 

The brunette hesitated for a few seconds. She liked this guy, he seemed nice, and genuine, but she wasn’t here to make friends. Friends asked questions, and wanted to get to know you. 

“You weren’t trying to make a run for it and I caught you, were you?” Shayne asked with a half grin when she remained silent.

“No, I wasn’t trying to make a run for it.” Franky gave a small laugh and shook her head. She sighed. “It’s….”

“Hey, you don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to. We can just be two insomniacs who like to sit outside at night, and leave it at that.” He shrugged. “But just so you know, I don’t spread people’s shit around; I hate that. So any secrets are safe with me.”

“Thanks, and yes, I’d like to sit outside.” The brunette gave a small nod, and followed Shayne outside. “I’m not sure I’m in the mood for talking tonight.”

“That’s fine, we don’t have to talk, we can just sit.” He let himself drop into one of the lounge chairs.

“Sounds good,” Franky said, taking the chair next to him.


	58. Chapter 58

The brunette was just finishing her coffee when an announcement came over the PA system: _All contestants please report to the kitchen set._

Franky followed the group out to the main filming set. It looked like they were going to film some kind of game or challenge. There were twelve domes sitting on a long table that the brunette assumed were covering some sort of food. There was also a blindfold placed in front of each dome. One of the crew members asked them to line up behind the table.

“Okay everyone, today we’re doing a tasting challenge.” Jared began explaining how it would work. “There are three different foods under each of the domes, some of the foods show up under more than one dome, but most of them are different. So don’t think that something is excluded just because someone before you already had it. When it’s your turn, you’ll step up and put on your blindfold. I’ll give you a piece of food, and you try to guess what it is. If you need a second piece, that’s fine. There’s lots of everything. Chefs often think they have a good pallet, but I find it can be surprising when you don’t get to see when you’re eating.”

The brunette glanced at Jenna who was standing beside her. “It’ll be okay.” She saw the girl take a deep breath. Franky leaned down next to her ear. “When you’re chewing, breathe out a bit through your nose. It’ll help you pick up the flavour a bit better.” Jenna gave her a questioning look. “Trust me.”

“Shayne, you’re up first.” Jared waited while Shayne stepped up, and put on his blindfold.

Once he was satisfied that the blindfold was on properly, Jared lifted the dome covering the five small bowls. Franky could see that the foods didn’t seem to be anything too weird, but she knew that what the chef had said was true. She’d done blind taste tests in culinary school before, and they definitely weren’t easy.

The brunette knew there were a few factors that made this hard. First of all, while the ingredients that needed to be cooked had been, it didn’t seem like they had been cooked on the set and they had now cooled off, so they didn’t have any smells to go by. Second, most people weren’t used to eating some things on their own. She found meats were especially hard with something like this because they weren’t seasoned, and rarely did people eat them without some kind of spices or marinade. Texture was helpful with those though.

Shayne did well, guessing three of his five correctly. Franky could tell that he was struggling with the last one, having asked for a second piece. In the end he guessed wrong, but considering he hadn’t been cooking that long, the brunette thought he did well. Jenna scored three out of five as well. After two more contestants, it was the brunette’s turn.

Franky stepped up and put on her blindfold. She felt silly standing there basically waiting for someone to feed her, but she went along with it. 

“Here’s the first one.”

The brunette opened her mouth slightly, and a second later, she felt the cold metal spoon on her bottom lip. She took the food from the spoon. It was cold, and not solid. Her first thought was that it may be pudding, then the tanginess hit her tongue.

“Sour cream,” Franky said with confidence.

“Very good!” Jared picked up the next food item. “Ready for the second one?”

The brunette nodded, and felt the cold spoon on her lip again. This time it was cold and sweet. She bit down to get the texture. It was soft and juicy.

“Pineapple.” Franky was confident with her answer again. So far, so good.

“Nicely done! Two for two so far.” The chef picked up the next one.

The brunette easily guessed the next two as well; apple, and swiss cheese. She now had the last one in her mouth and she was worried. It was cold and greasy. There wasn’t a lot of taste to it and it was kind of just coating her mouth. She didn’t want to ask for a second piece because she wasn’t sure that even that would help. She held it in her mouth for a few seconds, and it started to change its texture a bit.

“Butter?” Franky wasn’t as confident as she was with the other ones, but it was the only thing that came to mind. If it wasn’t that then she honestly didn’t know what it could be, so she figured it was worth a guess.

“Not so confident with this one, are you?” Jared asked. He paused for a couple seconds, but got no response from the brunette. “But you’re right, yes, it’s butter. Well done! A perfect five out of five and the only contestant to do so so far!”

Franky removed her blindfold and heard the applause from a few of the other contestants behind her. There were a couple who didn’t look too pleased though, but she figured there were always a couple like them in every group, and it was best just to ignore them. 

She had been the first to have a perfect score. While she wasn’t wishing for the others to fail, she really did want to win. There were two more people after her who almost got a perfect score as well. However, one couldn’t tell the difference between chicken and turkey, and the other mixed up sour cream and plain yogurt. Quite a few others scored a four. 

“Franky! Congratulations, you’re the winner of our first challenge. Now, we know this can be a stressful place to be, so we’ve tried to choose our rewards accordingly. As the winner, you’ll get a one night stay in a panoramic suite at the Pan Pacific hotel, followed by a day of pampering at the Sensu Spa. Looks like it’s going to be a good weekend for you! Again, Congratulations!” Jared shook her hand, then promptly left the set.

Once they were done filming the taste test segment, Jillian pulled the brunette aside.

“Hey, how are things so far?” the producer asked quietly.

“Good, yeah, they’re good, I think.” Franky thought it was probably a bit too early to judge, but she was feeling okay about things at the moment.

“Good!” Jillian gave her a small smile and nod.

The brunette looked around and lowered her voice. “Hey, about that spa thing I just won, I don’t want it, I want to go home for that time instead.”

“Are you sure? I mean, that hotel suite is amazing, and the spa is to die for.” Jillan got quiet when she saw the look on Franky’s face. “Right, I can’t see it being a problem. Just make sure you’re back on time Saturday night.” A call came in over the director’s radio. “Sorry, I’m going to have to go. Oh, but here are the questions for the interview we’ll be filming on Thursday morning, and I’ll be around tomorrow if you have questions.” 

“Thanks.” The brunette shoved the folded piece of paper into her pocket.

Franky went back to the dorms where everyone was gathered for lunch. 

“Everything alright? We saw Jillian pull you aside.” One of the older women, who Franky thought was named Catherine, greeted her when she arrived in the kitchen.

The brunette heard one of the younger guys, who had been giving her a dirty look early, scoff. She chose to ignore him again.

“Yeah, it’s all good.” Franky looked around. “She just wanted to talk about something.”

“Oh yeah? And what was that? The answers to the next challenge?” ” The angry guy spoke up for the first time, and nodded towards her pocket.

Franky reached down and realized that the corner of the paper Jillian had given her was still visible above the edge of the fabric. She shoved it down further, and ignored his question.

“Shut up, Hank. You’re just mad ‘cause you were shit at the challenge.” Shayne jumped in, saving Franky from having to explain any more. 

“You didn’t do too well either!” Hank shot back.

“Yeah but at least I’m not whining about it!” Shayne felt a hand on his elbow. He turned his head to see the brunette was now standing beside him.

“Relax, okay? He’s not worth it,” she said quietly. It scared her how much of her former self she saw in the young man. “Let’s have lunch. We’ll sit outside, you and I, yeah?” Shayne nodded, and Franky went to the kitchen to make them some sandwiches.

“Thanks,” he said as the brunette sat the plate down on the patio table in front of him.

“What was that shit about?” Franky asked as she took her seat across from him. She wasn’t in the mood to dance around the issue at hand.

“He shouldn’t talk to you like that; or anyone else. He’s been an ass since we got here.” He took a bite of his sandwich.

“Okay, but I don’t need you to fight my battles for me. Someone like him isn’t worth your time.” She caught Shayne’s eye for a second before he looked away. “You were getting angry real fast in there. That happen often?”

“I don’t know.” Shayne shrugged.

“Let me tell you what I think; I think it does. Probably more than you’d like to admit.” The brunette met his gaze again, and she knew she had his attention. “I used to be like that, and it got me in heaps of trouble.”

“What happened?” When Franky stayed quiet, he started to get up out of his chair. “Let me guess; you’ll tell me another time?”

“Sit down.” The brunette reached out and put a hand on his arm. “I got an assault charge, and I was lucky that the right people had my back. I got off easy considering what I did, and then I got help.”

“Help like what, therapy?” Shayne shook his head. “Therapy is bullshit.”

“Have you tried it?” Franky had thought the same as him before she’d been forced to go.

“Nah.” He took another bite of his sandwich.

“Well, it worked for me. Changed my life.” The brunette smiled thinking of everything she had now that she would have missed out on if she hadn’t changed her ways.

“Yeah?”

“Mhm.” Franky chewed on a bite of her lunch.

“What would have been different for you if you hadn’t changed?” Shayne had sat down his food and was fully focused on the brunette.

Franky thought for a moment. He’d asked about her personal life before, and she’d brushed him off. She’d only known him a couple days, but she did feel a connection between them.

“Everything.” The brunette smiled. “I’m engaged to a beautiful woman.”

“You have a kid,” Shayne said as a statement, not a question.

“How did yo-?” Franky looked at him questioningly.

“Unless your fiancée likes making bracelets for you.” He nodded towards the brunette’s wrist.

“Oh.” Franky let out a small laugh. “Yeah, no, she doesn’t. Yes, we have a kid. We’re raising her niece. She just turned six.”

“Sounds like a great family.” He gave her a small smile. “Secret’s safe with me.”

“Thanks.” Franky returned his smile. “Enough of the mushy stuff. Let’s finish these before they call us back to set.” She picked up her sandwich and took a big bite.

After lunch, they were all called back to set and lined up the same way they had been in the morning. The brunette looked around, and saw some nervous faces among her fellow competitors. She took a deep breath. She knew the menu and she knew her own recipes. 

The main doors of the ‘restaurant’ opened and Jared entered, dressed in his full chef’s uniform.

“First of all, I’d just like to say you all did very well in the challenge this morning. Now, however, it’s time to start the main part of the competition.” He paced back and forth in front of the group as he spoke. “As you know, it will be team-based until we’re down to the final five. I’ve been watching all of you, and I’ve taken a lot of things into consideration when deciding how you’ll be divided up.” 

Franky stole a look at Shayne, and saw him give a barely perceptible nod. She had been right about why they hadn’t been put on teams right away.

“So let’s get to it.” The host stepped up to a table which had two stacks of white chef’s jackets on it. One pile had blue across the shoulders, and the other, red. “Alright, first up for the Red team we have Catherine.”

One of the older women, who Franky hadn’t talked to much yet, walked up to get her jacket, then went to stand in front of the red kitchen.

“Next up, Joseph. You’ll be on the Blue team.” Jared handed him a blue jacket. “Shayne, you’re on the Red team.” 

Franky could tell that the young man was nervous. When he walked by, she discreetly reached out and tapped his forearm. When he looked at her, she gave him a small nod…_’you’ll be alright’_.

The brunette watched as one by one, the other contestants were assigned to a team. Jenna had been placed on the Red team with Shayne. Franky was happy because she knew that if she wasn’t put on that team as well, then at least he would look out for the nervous girl.

It was down to the last three people; Franky, Hank, and a guy named Lucas. There were two spots left on the Red team and only one on the Blue. Hank was the next one to be placed on a team. Jared sent him to the Red kitchen. The brunette closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew something was going to be done to stir up some drama for ratings, and clearly Jared had seen what had happened between Shayne and Hank before lunch.

“Lucas.” Jared paused, and Franky held her breath. She knew that wherever Lucas went, she was going to the other team. “You’re on the Blue team, so that means that Franky, you’re on the Red team.” He held out jackets to each of them. 

The brunette accepted her jacket and turned to join her teammates. Shayne and Jenna looked happy, and she was glad to be with them as well. Hank on the other hand, didn’t look pleased. Franky wasn’t surprised that she’d been put with them. She didn’t have a problem with Hank yet, but he seemed to dislike her, and the incident between him and Shayne after lunch had started when he tried to have a go at her.

“Now, I’d love to give you all some time to settle in and come up with a game plan, but where’s the fun in that?” Jared laughed at his own joke. “We have a dinner service tonight. You have two hours to go get changed and prep your kitchens. Go!”

Franky quickly walked back to the dorm to change her clothes. The rest of their uniforms including a pair of black pants, and an assortment of white t-shirts and singlets to wear under their jacket, had been placed on each of their beds. 

The brunette was back out in the kitchen in less than five minutes. She flipped through the reference book that was laying on the counter. She heard the others come in behind her, but then the room went quiet again. She turned to see four of the other five team members standing behind her.

“What do you want us to do?” Catherine asked, looking at Franky expectantly. 

“Uh..what?” The brunette was confused as to why they were asking her for guidance right now. “I’m not in charge.”

“We just thought since you were looking at the book that maybe you knew…” The woman trailed off. She’d realized her mistake too late.

Franky looked around the group again. “I’m just reading the book.” There wasn’t time to discuss this right now. “Alright, fine, but just this once.” If they wanted someone to tell them what to do, she would, but she’d make it clear later that they were a team, not her team.

“Alright, we need someone to prep the seafood. Anyone comfortable with that?” A guy named George raised his hand, and she acknowledged him. “The meat station?” Catherine put up her hand for that one. “Appetizers?” Franky looked at Shayne and Jenna. “One of you good with that?”

“Yep, I got it.” He glanced at the young girl standing beside him. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to do the station; he didn’t really care which one he got, but he knew she was less confident, so he wanted her to have first choice. When she didn’t speak up, he took it.

“Okay, Jenna you’re on garnish then.” The brunette looked at the book, then the group again. “We’re missing someone. Where’s Hank?”

As if on cue, he walked through the door into the kitchen.

“I’m here, keep your panties on.” Hank chuckled as he snapped up his jacket.

“Right.” Franky decided to let his comment slide. “Hank, you need to make sure each station has the supplies it needs; spices, utensils, etc. Shouldn’t take too long. Then, you’ll help whoever needs it.” 

“And what are you going to be doing?” He folded his arms over his chest.

“Desserts, then helping, like you. Unless you want that station instead?” The burnette watched as he shook his head. “Good, okay. If you have questions, ask someone, and if you finish early, help someone else. Seafood and meat have the most to do, so it’ll likely be them needing some extra hands. Thirty minutes before the end, turn on the ovens to preheat so they’re ready to go for service. Let’s go.”

Everyone started their assigned tasks. Franky wasn’t paying much attention to the others, her mind was focused on prepping her station and running through the menu one last time. 

“Franks.” Shayne came up beside the brunette and spoke softly.

“Yeah?” Franky turned to see the young man tilt his head towards where Jenna was working. She had a few tears on her face. “Okay, I’ll go over in a second. Thanks.” 

The brunette finished up what she was working on, and went over to check on the young woman.

“I’m okay, I think it’s just the onions,” Jenna said quickly, and wiped her face on her sleeve. 

“Jenna.” Franky raised an eyebrow when the young woman turned to look at her. They both knew no one was chopping onions, and it was a bullshit excuse.

Jenna sighed. “I’m just nervous, okay?”

“That’s okay, but things will be fine. We’ll all be here together tonight.” The brunette understood the other woman’s feelings, but she also needed to make it clear that she had to pull it together. “Listen, I get it, I do, but during service tonight, this can’t happen. We get in, we get it done, then we get out. No tears, no excuses, alright?”

“Alright.” Jenna nodded, and wiped her face again.

“Okay.” Franky gave her shoulder a squeeze and went back to her own work.

********

Bridget was running late to pick up Emily. She’d gotten held up with an emergency counselling session, and lost track of time. 

“I’m so sorry, Liz.” The blonde rushed into Liz’s office where she and the young girl were waiting. “There was an emergency at work.” She glanced at the clock and saw that she was a little over a half hour late.

“Oh not to worry, love. She’s just telling me all about what she learned in school today.” Liz gave Bridget a warm smile.

“I thought you got hurt.” Emily got up to give her aunt a hug.

“No, love, I’m fine. I’m sorry, I should have let Liz know I was running late, but I didn’t realize at the time. Did you have a fun day?” the blonde asked as she returned the hug.

“Yeah. We learned about weather.” Emily looked up at her. “Did you know in some places it’s winter now, not summer?”

“Yeah, that’s pretty neat, huh?” Bridget smiled down at her. “You ready to go home and get something for supper?” The young girl nodded and the blonde thanked Liz once again before they said goodbye.

“What’s for supper?” Emily asked when they arrived at the house.

“I was thinking maybe spag bol.” Bridget’s cooking had improved a lot since she’d met Franky, but she still didn’t have a lot of dishes she made, and she tended to stick with the easier ones. “Would you like to help me?”

The young girl reluctantly agreed. The blonde knew that Emily saw cooking as Franky’s thing, but she hoped that maybe having her help with it would cheer her up a bit.

Bridget was pleased that their supper turned out well, and it seemed like Emily had enjoyed helping her. She was currently in a half-sitting position against one end of the couch with her niece on her lap laying against her. The young girl had always liked having that physical contact for comfort. Even as a baby, she would start to cry if Bridget put her down for too long. Now, whenever she spent evenings with them on the couch, she was usually leaning against one of them or sitting on their lap. 

“When is Franky going to call?” Emily asked quietly.

“I don’t know, love. It might not always be up to her when or if she can. She has to listen to the people in charge there.” The blonde knew that if Franky didn’t call, there was a good reason. That wouldn’t help to comfort Emily however. 

“She said she’d call every night.” The young girl looked up at her aunt. “Is she okay? She might be sick, or hurt.” The tears started to form in her eyes.

“She’s fine, they would have called me if something had happened to her.” Bridget hugged her tighter, and made a mental note to suggest to the brunette not to make any concrete promises going forward since her schedule seemed a bit unpredictable. 

“Are you sure?” the young girl asked in a small voice.

“Yes, I’m sure. She probably just had to work tonight.” The blonde rubbed her niece’s back.

“I miss her.” Emily took in a shaky breath.

“Shh, I know. I do too. She’ll be back as soon as she can though.” Bridget placed a kiss on the top of her head. She felt Emily start to relax more. “Why don’t we go lay in your bed, and I’ll read you an extra story tonight?” She knew if they stayed on the couch much longer, the young girl would be asleep, and it would be hard for Bridget to get up and get her into bed without waking her.

********

Their prep time passed quickly and before they knew it, they were given a short break before the restaurant opened for service. Franky ate a granola bar and grabbed a bottle of water. It would be enough to get her through the service, and in her experience, there were usually enough leftovers at the end of the day that she’d be able to have a meal after everything was done.

The doors opened, and the customers filled the tables. Franky was working at the garnish station, Shayne and Jenna were working together on the seafood station, and Hank was doing the meat. It wasn’t longer before the first orders were coming in, and Catherine started on the appetizers. As soon as they went out for a table, Franky and the others would start on the main courses. 

She delivered mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables to go with the steak and salmon dishes from the other two stations. She had just turned to go start on the next order when Jared called her back.

“Yes?” The brunette couldn’t imagine what was wrong with something that simple.

“Taste those.” Jared pointed to the two pots she’d sat in front of him.

Franky picked up two spoons from the tray on the counter and took a spoonful of the mashed potatoes first, then the vegetables. They tasted okay, but just not quite right.

“What do you think?” The host waited for her answer.

“Needs salt.” The brunette still couldn’t figure out exactly what had happened, but she knew they definitely needed some more seasoning.

“Good. Fix it and bring it back. Quick as you can now.” Jared turned to check the next dish that had been brought to him.

Franky sat the pot back on the burner so the food would stay warm, and quickly added a pinch of salt to each. She stirred it in well, then decided to taste it before she took it back up to Jared. It tasted even more off now, and almost sweet. 

“What the fuck?” The brunette mumbled to herself. She didn’t understand how she could add salt, and yet the food tasted sweeter. Then it hit her. “Mother fucker.”

Franky picked up the salt and shook some into her hand. She tasted it and immediately her mouth was flooded with sweetness. She sat the dish down loudly on the counter, and went to the pantry in the back. She grabbed a box of salt and went back to the kitchen. She quickly seasoned another pot of potatoes, and one of vegetables, and walked them up to the front.

“Nicely done, Franky,” Jared called to her, as she made her way back to her station.

Hank had set up the supplies at each station. There was no way he would have known who would be working there at the time, so Franky didn’t think he’d specifically targeted her, but it was still concerning.

The rest of the service went well, and the brunette’s team ended up finishing first, which meant none of them were going home tonight, but it was apparent that they had some issues to work on.

“Hank!” Franky called out to him once they’d made it back into the dorms. He stopped and waited for her to catch up with him. “What was that about?”

Hank looked at her like she was stupid. “Uh, we won. That’s what that was about.”

“You know what I meant.” When he stayed quiet, she continued. “There was sugar at my station instead of salt. You were responsible for stocking those things.”

“Oops, my bad.” He gave a shrug, and a small grin played at the corner of his mouth.

“Yeah... so either you were careless, or you were trying to fuck someone over.” Franky didn’t like either option.

“Well,” He looked around as if he was trying to see who was nearby. “It is a competition.”

“Yes, it is.” Franky held his stare.

“Oh, so you _do_ realize that? Because the way you’re coaching everyone out there and giving pep talks, I wasn’t sure if you did.” He gave her a cocky smile.

“First of all, if you have to play dirty to save yourself, then you’re not good enough to win anyway, and second, if you sink the team at this point, then you sink yourself too. I’m sure that when we lose a service, there’ll be a few people who won’t hesitate to nominate you for elimination. So next time you think it’s a good idea to mess with something, just remember you might actually be screwing yourself over.” The brunette turned and continued on her way to the bedroom. She wanted to change her clothes, have a shower, and find some food. She had hoped to call Bridget, but it was past ten, and she’d probably be in bed by now.

“I got us some food,” Shayne said when Franky returned from her shower. He took a pan out of the oven, and fixed them each a plate.

“You’re amazing.” The brunette was suddenly tired after her shower, and probably would have skipped eating if it had been left up to her to get something for herself.

Shane gave a small laugh. “Want to eat outside?”

Franky nodded, and he picked up their plates. She followed him out onto the patio.

It was late, and it wasn’t long before, one by one, everyone started calling it a night. Franky assumed that, like herself, none of them were sleeping very well there. If missing someone back home wasn’t getting to them, then the knowledge that there were cameras watching them probably was. Soon it was just her and Shayne left outside.

“Listen, I’m not condoning what you did this morning, but thanks for having my back,” Franky said after they’d sat in silence for a moment. She’d wanted to get her point across earlier about him needing to control his anger, so she hadn’t thanked him. She wanted him to know though, that she was grateful for his support. It felt nice to know she had a friend in this.

“Anytime.” He gave the brunette a small nod. “So tell me about your girl. How did you meet?”

Franky smiled at him. “I don’t know much about you yet. I think it’s your turn to share.” The brunette felt comfortable with him, but she didn’t want to be the only one to open up and be vulnerable.

“Don’t know my dad, my mom was a junkie who died, and then there were a bunch of shit foster homes. That’s pretty much everything.” Shayne took a bite of his meal.

Franky wasn’t expecting him to blurt out everything like that, but now she understood why, during the few times they’d talked, he had wanted to focus the attention more on her.

“My dad left us, Mom was an abusive alcoholic, and eventually I got taken away and put in foster care.” The brunette held Shayne’s gaze and it felt like they had come to an understanding, they got each other.

“So your parents are both still out there somewhere.” He nodded in the direction beyond the high fence that surrounded the set.

“In theory, I guess. No one’s ever told me they died.” It was something Franky hadn’t thought about in years. She’d given up the hope of her father coming back for her once she’d been taken from her mother, and she hadn’t given either of them a second thought after Liz had taken her in. The talks she’d had with Bridget were the most time she’d given them since then.

“Now that’s out of the way, let’s talk about happier stuff, yeah? I can’t dwell on that dark shit for too long.” He gave her a half smile.

“Bridget enrolled her niece in a class I was teaching. That’s how we met.” The brunette smiled. She remembered when Liz had told her that Bridget was going to be late. She’d almost asked one of her friends if they could stay with her instead so she could keep her date with Kim. There’d been something about how shy she’d been though, that had made Franky think she’d be better off staying herself. 

“And the rest is history.” Shayne could tell by the smile on the brunette’s face that she’d never stood a chance of not falling for this woman.

“Pretty much.” Franky shrugged. “This is really good.” She held up a piece of her steak on her fork. “Did you cook this or did Jenna?”

“I did. It’s not from service. I cooked it while you were in the shower, just kept it warm in the oven.” He took another bite.

“Thanks.” The brunette smiled. She was touched that he had cooked for her.

They ate the rest of their meal in silence. It had been a long day, and Franky’s last bit of energy was quickly fading.

“I’ll wash these, then I’m going to bed.” The brunette reached over and picked up Shayne’s empty plate and placed it on top of hers. She stood to go inside.

“Just leave them on the counter. I’ll do them when I come in.” He stretched in his chair.

“Are you sure?” Franky didn’t want him to have to do the dishes too after cooking for them.

“Yeah, I don’t sleep anyway, and you’re tired. Go get some rest.” He nodded in the general direction of the dorms.

“Thanks.” She gave him a smile.

“Night, Franks.” He reached up and gave her a fist bump on her way by.


	59. Chapter 59

The rest of the week had gone well. There hadn’t been any more trouble on set from Hank, and the filming had all gone smoothly. Franky was learning a lot in most of the classes they had them taking, and she couldn’t wait to put that new knowledge to use when she taught.

The brunette was headed home that Friday evening with a copy of the first episode. She wasn’t sure what they had put in it, but she was hoping she and Bridget would have a chance to watch it. They hadn’t had time to talk about much stuff during their phone calls. She hadn’t even gotten a chance to tell the blonde about Shayne yet, or the trouble with Hank, and she had kept her impending visit a secret. She wanted to surprise them, and she wanted Emily to keep her plans with Charlotte.

As soon as Franky closed the front door behind her, Bridget appeared around the corner. The brunette looked her up and down. She had on a pair of very short shorts, and one of the brunette’s old t-shirts.

“Hey, babe.” Franky tossed her keys in the bowl. “I missed you.” 

“Franky! What are you doing here?” The blonde wrapped her arms around the younger woman’s neck and gave her a deep kiss.

“Your girl won a night at the Pan Pacific hotel and a spa day tomorrow, and made a deal to come home to you guys instead.” The brunette had a huge grin on her face, seeing how happy her fiancee was to see her.

“I’m so glad you’re here.” Bridget ran her fingers over the back of the younger woman’s neck. “That would have been an amazing prize though, baby.”

“I know, but I’d rather be with you guys. I don’t care about the prizes.” The brunette gave her another quick kiss. “You look hot.”

“Not because I’m trying.” Bridget let out a laugh. “It’s just so warm. I was considering walking around naked to stay cool.”

“That would have also been acceptable.” Franky lowered her head, and placed a kiss on the side of the blonde’s neck.

Bridget closed her eyes, enjoying how the brunette’s lips felt against her skin. When she opened them, she saw the bowl of keys sitting on the table, and had an idea.

“I know somewhere we can cool off.” The blonde stretched her arm out to grab Elinor’s key, not wanting to pull away from what Franky was doing.

“Where’s that?” the brunette mumbled in between kisses. 

“Come with me.” Bridget took her by the hand.

She led Franky across the street, and when she slipped the key into the front door, she caught the confused look on the other woman’s face. It was only then she realized that, in all the craziness of the week, she must not have told her that she was looking after Fred.

“Elinor and her husband went away to see their new great grandchild, and I’m watching the house and feeding their cat.” The blonde gave Franky a wink as she went inside. She walked straight through to the back of the house with the younger woman following behind. “And…” The sun was starting to set so she reached up and turned on the switch just inside the sliding glass doors. The whole backyard and pool area lit up. “She said we could use their pool.”

“Gidge, this is awesome!” Franky opened the door, and walked out onto the patio. 

The brunette was taking in the backyard when she felt something soft hit her back. When she turned to see what it was, something else hit her in the side of the face. She looked down and saw Bridget’s t-shirt and shorts in a pile on the cement. When she brought her head up, she was just in time to see the blonde gracefully dive into the water.

Franky pulled her shirt over her head and added it to the pile. The rest of her clothing, she left in a trail on her way to the pool. She dove in and swam underwater, surfacing just in front of Bridget.

They stood there for a second, just smiling at each other. The blonde never broke eye contact as she dipped her hand into the water and flung a handful of the cool liquid at Franky, hitting her in the face and chest.

“Oh it’s on!” The brunette lunged at her, wrapping her arms around Bridget’s shoulders and taking them both under for a few seconds.

When they had both regained their footing, it was the blonde’s turn to try to take Franky down again. Except, the brunette had a height advantage, and ended up pretty much catching the blonde in midair. She did lose her footing, but managed to keep both of their heads above the water.

“I foiled your plans, I win,” Franky said as Bridget wrapped her arms around the younger woman’s neck. 

The brunette walked them into the deeper water, and when the blonde couldn’t reach the bottom anymore, she wrapped her legs around Franky’s waist. She leaned in and placed a small kiss on Bridget’s jaw.

“Got it.” Franky leaned in again and kissed a different spot along the blonde’s jawline. “Got it.”

Bridget let out a giggle. “Baby, what are you doing?”

“Kissing all the drops of water,” the brunette said as she kissed her cheek this time.

“We’ll be here all night if you try to kiss every one of them.” The blonde moved her fingers lightly back and forth across the back of Franky’s neck as they locked eyes.

“I’m okay with that.” The brunette captured Bridget’s lips in a deep kiss, as she carried her towards the edge.

When the blonde’s back was against the wall of the pool, Franky lifted her a couple of inches so that she could wrap her legs more tightly around the brunette’s waist. Bridget pushed her hips forward, creating friction between her clit and Franky’s lower stomach.

The brunette watched as the older woman’s eyes fluttered closed. This time when she felt the blonde start to move, she pushed herself forward a bit as well, and was rewarded with a moan from the older woman.

“Yes, baby.” Bridget held onto Franky’s shoulders to get as much leverage as she could. “Oh god.” 

The brunette hoped that none of the neighbours were outside or had their windows open. The older woman wasn’t being overly loud, but this area was usually quiet, and there wasn’t a lot of open space between the houses. She could tell by the flush on Bridget’s chest and the way she knit her eyebrows together that she was already getting close. 

Franky ran her fingers up the back of the blonde’s thigh, over her butt, and then around to the front of her hip. She leaned in and captured Bridget’s lips. The brunette turned her hand so she could slide it in between them, and as her fingers brushed across the older woman’s hip bone, she heard her take in a sharp breath.

“Fuck,” Bridget moaned as her orgasm spread through her body. She knew she was getting close fast, but she wasn’t expecting it to happen this soon. 

The brunette held her fiancée close and kissed along her jawline. 

When the blonde opened her eyes, she saw that cocky grin on Franky’s face; the one she found hot. It reignited something inside her. She reached up and pulled the brunette towards her, crashing their lips together. 

Franky let her hand continue its journey in between their bodies. She felt her fingers brush over Bridget’s clit, and the blonde moaned into her mouth. When she reached the older woman’s folds, she let her fingers slide deep inside. Between the water, and Bridget’s wetness, they met no resistance. She pressed hard and curled her fingers inside the older woman.

“Fuck. Yes, baby.” The blonde pushed herself onto Franky’s fingers. Bridget pulled the younger woman close.

The brunette could feel Bridget’s breath against her ear, and hear every sound coming out of her mouth, no matter how small. Franky must have hit a particularly good spot, because the blonde let out a loud moan that ended in a whimper. The younger woman could feel her orgasm starting to build. It had happened a couple times now, that she had come without any or much physical stimulation from the blonde. Bridget was the only woman she’d ever experienced that with.

The blonde was close for the second time that night. As she pushed herself into Franky’s fingers, her back slipped against the side of the pool and out of instinct, she grabbed on tighter to the brunette’s shoulder. She heard Franky hiss in pain, but the younger woman never faltered in her movements.

The brunette felt the sting on her back, and while she wasn’t one to normally associate pain with pleasure, something about that scenario was working for her tonight. Bridget let out another loud moan as Franky pressed deep inside her, and the younger woman was right on the edge.

“Yes, baby.” Bridget’s lips brushed against the brunette’s ear.

Franky felt a shiver run down her back then her orgasm washed over her. It wasn’t something hard and fast like it usually was. This one felt like all the muscles in the lower part of her body were slowly spasming, but in a very pleasurable way. She was glad she had the water to support her this time. 

A few seconds later, Bridget gave another loud moan, and felt every muscle in her body tighten to the point that she couldn’t breathe. When the first muscle contraction had eased, she managed to take in a small breath before the second one started. When her body finally calmed down, all she felt like she could do was hang on to Franky.

“That looked like it was a good one, babe.” The brunette kissed Bridget’s temple.

“Mmm.” The blonde turned her head and placed a kiss on the side of Franky’s neck. “I’m sorry it happened too soon the first time.”

“Don’t ever apologize for that.” The brunette placed a small kiss on Bridget’s lips when she lifted her head from the younger woman’s shoulder.

“I was just very...” The blonde trailed off.

“Horny?” Franky said with a grin.

“I was going to say ‘into it’, but maybe horny works too.” Bridget giggled.

“Mhm.” The brunette nodded her head, and saw a slight blush creep into the other woman’s cheeks. “A week is a long time for us to not be able to be together.”

Intimacy was never something they were lacking. They had sex quite a bit, but even on the nights they didn’t, they made sure to have that physical connection in some other way. Some nights it was as simple as cuddling, others maybe it was a massage, or a shower together, or even just making out for a few minutes. This past week though, they’d had none of that.

“It is.” Bridget leaned in and gave her a slow kiss. “Let’s go home, I want to lay with you.”

They exited the pool and collected their clothes. The blonde found them a couple towels to dry off with in an outdoor storage cabinet.

“Here.” She threw one to Franky. “Use this then bring it to our place. I’ll wash it and bring it back.”

“When are they coming back anyway?” the brunette asked as she dried herself off.

“Sometime tonight. I’m surprised they’re not here by now,” Bridget said casually.

“What?!” Franky’s head snapped up and she looked into the house as if she expected to see them inside.

“Joking, baby.” The blonde couldn’t help but grin. Usually the younger woman was the joker so she loved when she could get one over on her.

“Not cool, Gidge.” Franky just shook her head and went back to getting dressed.

When they got back to the house, the brunette took the towels into the bathroom and dropped them in the laundry basket. She pulled off her t-shirt and let it fall into the basket as well.

“Ooo, baby, I’m sorry.” Bridget had caught a glimpse of Franky’s back as she passed by the bathroom door.

“Huh? For what?” The brunette had no idea what the older woman was talking about.

“Look at your back.” The blonde pointed towards her back.

The brunette looked over her shoulder into the mirror behind her. There were two large, bright red scratches about three or four inches long on the back of her right shoulder. She figured they must have happened when Bridget slipped and grabbed onto her.

“It’s alright. They’ll heal.” Franky was actually surprised how little they hurt right now, but that was probably thanks to the endorphins still floating around in her system. They’d be sore in the morning.

“At least let me wash them and put something on them.” The blonde opened the small cupboard and grabbed a washcloth and the tube of ointment. 

She carefully washed the scratches and made sure there was no dirt or anything in them before she applied a thin layer of the ointment.

“Do you want me to put something over them? We have these bandage pad things.” Bridget held up a small package. She saw Franky nod her head. “Okay, I’ll even use the nice stretchy tape.”

The brunette couldn’t help but smile. She loved the blonde’s caregiver side. Franky had thought more than once that if she hadn’t been a counsellor, she would have made a great nurse.

When Bridget had finished with the bandage, she placed a small kiss on the skin next to it.

“Are you trying to kiss it better?” Franky asked, turning and putting her arms around the blonde.

“Maybe.” The older woman gave her a lazy smile. “Did it work?”

“Maybe.” The brunette gave a small laugh, and lowered her head to give Bridget a slow kiss. “I brought the first episode home with me if you’d like to watch it together?”

“Sure, baby. If it won’t stress you out too much.” Bridget was curious about what Franky was experiencing, but when she was home, she wanted her to relax.

“I’ll be alright. Besides, I want to share my week with you somehow.” The brunette gave her a quick kiss. 

She reached for the blonde’s hand and led her out into the living room. Bridget arranged the pillows on the couch, while she set up the episode to play on the tv. 

“Lay down,” the blonde instructed Franky when she finished with the tv.

The brunette smiled. She knew what Bridget wanted; to lay on her. It was the older woman’s favorite way to watch tv when Emily wasn’t with them. Franky settled in against the pile of pillows so that she was in a half-sitting position, and the blonde laid on top of her and got comfortable. 

The brunette pressed ‘play’ and the opening credits appeared on the screen. She recognized the picture of her they used from the day they did the photo shoot. 

“You look hot, baby! I know who my favorite is already.” Bridget wiggled against the younger woman.

"It's the old guy, isn't it?" Franky teased.

"No." The blonde giggled, and softly pinched the brunette's side.

Once the show started, they were both quiet. The brunette was curious as to what they included or left out of the final cut. She slowly moved her hand up and down over Bridget’s back, and felt the older woman brush the tip of her nose against her neck before she rested her head back against her chest.

The first thing they showed was some shots of everyone arriving, then standing in rows waiting for Jared to show up. As the narrator spoke, the camera panned across the contestants, it caught the moment where Franky had leaned over to speak with Jenna. 

“She was nervous, wasn’t she?” the blonde asked quietly.

“Yeah. I thought she was going to throw up or cry; maybe both.” She thought that felt like so long ago now. 

Of course this episode included the individual dish challenge, the tasting challenge, and their first dinner service. First up was the individual dish challenge. Franky liked seeing what the other contestants did. She’d been so focused on her own dish that she didn’t even know what most of the others had made. When Bridget saw the brunette patiently explaining the knife technique to Jenna, she couldn’t help but smile a bit to herself.

There was some footage of them moving in, and different groups talking about random stuff. Then it showed the brunette, sitting on her bed in the middle of the night, unable to sleep.

“You were so restless,” the blonde said quietly.

“I kept thinking about how I just wanted to be home and laying with you in our bed instead of surrounded by strangers.” Franky sighed.

When it showed her walk out onto the patio, the younger woman held her breath. This was the conversation where she and Shayne had told each other about their shitty pasts and she’d admitted to having a family. She’d known they were being recorded, so anything they said had the possibility of turning up in the show.

They were both quiet while they watched. Everything had been left in.

“You okay?” Bridget reached out for the remote, and paused the show.

“Yeah,” the brunette sighed. “You know, my first thought was just to lie, but then that felt so wrong. It felt like I would be disrespectful if I pretended like you and Em didn’t exist.”

“Baby.” Bridget moved so she was now face to face with the brunette, and placed a hand on her cheek. “I’m going to say something, and don’t take it the wrong way. The decision to not talk about us was yours. I know you did it because you’re private, and you want to protect us from all the shit that’s out there, and I love you for that.” She gave Franky a small kiss. “But if that decision feels wrong now, for whatever reason, it’s up to you whether you want to change it or not. I never said you couldn’t talk about us, and I’m fine with it if you do. I wouldn’t feel right denying you or Em either, so I understand. It’s easy to sit back and say you’d do something a certain way, but sometimes it’s a different story once you’re actually in the situation.”

Franky gave a small nod. “I’m so proud that you’re my fiancée, and I’m proud of Em; she’s a great kid.”

“I’m proud of you too.” Bridget gave her a soft, slow kiss. She could tell the brunette was getting emotional, and she didn’t want her to get any more upset. “Let’s finish the show, okay?”

Franky nodded, and the blonde unpaused it. She felt the younger woman’s hand resume it’s movements on her back.

Next up was the tasting challenge. As they watched, they both laughed at some of the faces the other contestants made when they were confused by what had been placed in the mouth. 

“Ugh, Gidge, I don’t think I can watch myself do this.” Franky cringed, knowing that she probably looked funny trying to figure out a couple of hers. 

“Nah, you’re fine, baby.” Bridget turned her head slightly to place a kiss on the brunette’s collarbone. “I like when you rub my back.” 

Franky answered with a small kiss on the top of the older woman’s head.

Of course, the conflict between Shayne and Hank had been left in, including Franky pulling Shayne aside, then talking to him while they ate. Bridget laughed a bit at the young man’s joke about her making Franky a bracelet.

“He seems nice. He tried to protect you from that asshole, too.” 

“Yeah, but he’s got a lot of anger in him,” the brunette said quietly.

“Yeah.” The older woman’s reply was barely audible.

They watched the dinner service, and Bridget declared that Hank had to go, and soon. It was obvious from the footage that the mix up of the salt and sugar had been intentional, and he had stood back and watched while Franky had tried to figure out what she was doing wrong.

“I’m glad you confronted him afterwards. He won’t last long.” The blonde sounded confident, but Franky knew that if the show wanted to keep him around for added drama, they’d find a way.

“I told him too much, didn’t I?” the brunette asked after they’d watched the end of the episode.

“No. It’s obvious that you two clicked with each other, and that you trust him.” Bridget lifted her head and smiled at the younger woman. “It was nice of him to make you supper, too. You okay with everything in there?” She tilted her head towards the TV screen.

“Yeah, I think so.” 

The blonde studied Franky’s face. “Okay, good.” She leaned in and gave the brunette a soft kiss. “Let’s go to bed.”

********

Bridget woke first the next morning. She watched Franky, who was still peacefully sleeping. They hadn’t bothered to change into their pyjamas the night before, choosing instead to just shed their clothes and fall into bed. The brunette was laying on her back with her arm wrapped around Bridget, who was cuddled into her left side. The blonde had her left leg casually draped over Franky’s hip, allowing her to move those few millimeters closer. She let her hand move over the younger woman’s skin. Bridget followed the path of her cherry blossom tattoo, then moved across her lower stomach, then up her other side and over her breast, coming to rest on the brunette’s neck. She heard Franky sigh.

The blonde lifted herself, and carefully straddled the younger woman’s thighs. She lowered herself slowly so as not to wake Franky suddenly. Once she’d settled, Bridget leaned forward, and placed a kiss on the side of the brunette’s neck. She moved down slowly, kissing a trail down to the centre of the other woman’s chest. 

The blonde worked her way slowly over to Franky’s left nipple, and took it into her mouth. She sucked on it gently. The brunette took in a short, sharp breath, followed by a small moan. Bridget looked up to see Franky’s eyes, barely open, watching her, a small smile on her face. She brought a hand up to rest on the back of the older woman’s head, and closed her eyes once again.

When Bridget ran the tip of her tongue over the hardened bud, she felt Franky arch her back slightly, pushing herself into the blonde’s mouth. She lingered there for another minute or two, then turned her attention to the right side.

The blonde moved down the younger woman’s body until she rested between her legs. She guided Franky’s right leg over her shoulder, as the brunette let the left one fall open a bit. Bridget wasn’t in the mood to tease her; she’d missed her all week. She lowered her head, and wrapped her lips around the other woman’s clit, sucking gently as she massaged it with her tongue. She ran her hand over Franky’s stomach, and the brunette lifted her head slightly to watch for a second, before closing her eyes, and resting it back against the pillows again.

“Mmm, that feels good, babe.” The brunette concentrated on the feeling of Bridget’s tongue moving over her clit. It was slow, soft, and warm.

Franky felt a calmness seep through her body. She hadn’t realized how tense she’d been all week, until now. She pushed everything else from her mind. Every swipe of the blonde’s tongue sent a tingling wave through her, and she pushed herself closer to Bridget’s mouth. 

“Gidge…” The brunette trailed off, as her hand found the back of Bridget’s head once again.

The blonde hummed in response, and Franky felt the first twitches inside of her. It felt so good that if she had her choice, she would let this go on forever, but she knew that wasn’t possible. The more she thought about how good it felt, the better it felt. It was a cycle feeding into itself that was bringing her inevitable orgasm closer and closer. 

Franky let out a groan, and tightened her fingers in Bridget’s hair. It only took a few more seconds before she felt the warmth wash over her.

The blonde stayed with her, moving her tongue slowly, until the brunette’s body calmed down. She could hear Franky still trying to catch her breath, when she felt a gentle tug on her hair. She moved up the younger woman’s body.

“Come here,” Franky mumbled, pulling her in for a long kiss.

When they broke apart, Bridget gave her a smile. “Good morning, baby.”

“Mmm, good morning.” The brunette stretched out her legs, and back. She reached up and placed her palm on the older woman’s cheek. “I missed you so much.” 

“I missed you, too.” The blonde let herself be pulled down for another kiss. 

After a moment, she settled in beside Franky again.

“I wish I had more than just today with you guys.” The brunette laced her fingers with Bridget’s.

“It’s okay, baby.” The blondet gave her a small kiss. “This is all just temporary.”

Franky nodded. “How’s Em been doing?”

“She misses you a lot.” She hadn’t wanted to say anything because she knew the brunette would feel bad, but she didn’t want to lie to her either. “I don’t think she likes my cooking either,” the blonde said with a small laugh.

“Yeah.” Franky smiled. “She may have mentioned that.” 

“What? That she didn’t like my cooking?” Bridget’s mouth hung open in surprise. She knew her niece didn’t care for the food she made, but she didn’t think she’d actually complain to the brunette about it.

“Mhm,” Franky chuckled. “She told me the other night during our call when you went to the bathroom. She asked when things were going back to normal because your food tastes funny.”

“Little brat.” The blonde gave another laugh. “She’s getting brussel sprouts all week.” 

“Gidge, you don’t even like those.” The brunette knew Bridget was joking, but she played along.

“I’ll learn to.” The blonde gave Franky a small bite on the shoulder. 

The younger woman laughed. “I miss her a lot too.”

“She’s been very cuddly. She’s usually on my lap or at least laying against me every evening. I don’t mind, but I guess I never realized how much of that she got from you.” Bridget shifted, moving in a bit closer to the brunette.

Franky nodded. “Yeah, she’s usually sitting with one of us every evening.” The brunette looked over at Bridget. “Maybe she gets it from you. You always like to be close to someone, too.”

The blonde smiled, and buried her face against Franky’s shoulder. “Yeah,” came her muffled reply.

The brunette rubbed Bridget’s back and felt her let out a sigh. “You doing alright?”

“Yeah, I am. Em’s okay and you’re okay, so I can handle this.” Bridget shivered and felt goosebumps on her skin when the younger woman ran her fingers over her side.

Franky smiled. “Okay.” She turned her head to give the blonde a quick kiss. 

“Just…” the older woman trailed off, not knowing how to word what she wanted to say.

“Just what, babe?” The brunette gave her arm an encouraging squeeze. 

“When you couldn’t call the night because of the dinner service, Em was kind of upset because you’d promised her you’d call every night. I know you didn’t have a choice, but maybe going forward, you shouldn’t make such concrete promises. Maybe you could say you’ll call every night you can. Just to avoid disappointment.” Bridget could tell that the younger woman felt bad.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think about that, and I should have.” Franky looked down. “I’ll talk to her later.”

“No, she’s okay now. I explained it to her, but just from now on, be aware of that.” The blonde gave her a small smile in an attempt to cheer her up.

The brunette nodded. “No trouble at work?” She was eager to change the subject. She didn’t like thinking about the fact that she’d upset the young girl.

Bridget knew that the brunette was really asking about Julia; making sure that her ex wasn’t giving her any problems.

“Nah, not really. I’ve seen her in passing, but Channing hasn’t bothered to schedule the second part of our meeting. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.” The blonde gave a small, half-hearted laugh. 

“You do good work, Gidge, don’t worry.” Franky gave her a small squeeze. 

“I hope it’s good enough.” The blonde’s voice was small.

This wasn’t the normal, confident Bridget. This was the Bridget that came out when she talked about her ex, and Franky didn’t like it.

“I’ve seen firsthand what you do. You genuinely care about the women in there. Everyone can see that.” The brunette watched her for a minute. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” A smile formed on the blonde’s face. “You always know the right thing to say.”

“Ah, well, give me long enough and I’m sure I’ll say something stupid at some point.” Franky watched as the older woman’s smile grew even bigger. “What do you think about us taking Em to the scienceworks museum today?”

Bridget thought for a minute. “Honestly, baby, I think she’s going to be so excited to see you that she’ll just want to spend time with you. I think the museum is a great idea, but maybe some other time. It’s been a long week for her with school starting and everything.”

“I didn’t think of that, but yeah you’re right. We’ll save it for another time.” The brunette had wanted to do something special with them to make up for her not being around. What she didn’t realize though, was that her simply being there was enough for them, especially when Emily wasn’t expecting her to be there at all.

“We can work on that Lego set, play some games, maybe have a fire, depending on what time you have to leave.” Bridget smiled. She missed those nights around the fires.

“Sounds good, babe. I probably can’t stay long enough for a fire tonight, but we could cook supper on it, and have a treat for dessert.” A thought popped into Franky’s head. “Can we take her swimming?”

“I don’t see why not. I have to go feed the cat later anyway.” The blonde was quiet for a minute. “I don’t know if she knows how to swim.”

“If not, we can teach her.” The brunette had a huge smile on her face. “Did she come with a bathing suit?”

Bridget couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her at that moment.

“What?” Franky was confused as to what part of what she’d said was that funny.

“ ‘Did she come with a bathing suit?’. Like she’s something we bought and you’re asking what came in the accessory pack.” The blonde gave her fiancée an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, baby, just the way you said it struck me as funny.”

Franky chuckled. “Yeah, I meant did one come here with her stuff from the house.”

“I think so, but I’ll check before we pick her up. We should get her some water wings too.” Bridget pulled away from the brunette’s side, and got on top of her, straddling her hips. “But first…” She leaned forward and captured Franky’s lips in a slow kiss. “We should go shower.”

“I’ll race you there.” The brunette smiled against Bridget’s lips, and reached up to squeeze her butt.

The blonde giggled and ran for the bathroom. Franky wasn’t expecting her to take off so quickly, and Bridget was already at the door by the time she got out of bed.

********

Franky and Bridget had stopped at the store on the way to pick up Emily, and ended up getting something called a watervest instead. It would cover the young girl’s upper chest, back and arms, but it was very lightweight. The salesperson at the store had said it would be less bulky than the waterwings and would allow her to move more naturally. They’d also made a quick stop at the grocery store to pick up supplies for their special fire-cooked supper.

“What’s the menu tonight?” the blonde asked when they arrived at the store. She wanted to know which department to head for.

“Lemon-dill salmon with spiced corn on the cob. Then for dessert, waffle cones and stuff for inside them like mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, peanuts, and M&Ms.” The brunette gave Bridget a big smile.

“You really are just a big kid at heart, baby.” Bridget gave her a quick kiss. “I love it.”

Once they had everything they needed for the day, they went to pick up Emily.

“Can I go to the door?” Franky asked as the blonde parked the car in front of Charlotte’s house. “I want to surprise her.” She couldn’t wait to see the look on the young girl’s face when she saw her there.

“Sure, baby.” The blonde gave her a quick kiss. “She’ll be glad to see you.”

The brunette walked up to the door and knocked. It was only a few seconds before Charlotte’s mother answered.

“Hey, I’m here to pick up Em.” Franky gave the woman a small smile.

“Franky!” Emily ran to the brunette and threw her arms around her waist. “You came back!”

“Hey, bub, yeah of course I came back. I get to spend the day with you and Auntie.” She reached down and rubbed the back of the young girl’s shoulder. “Why don’t you go get your things and say goodbye to Charlotte?”

Emily ran off down the hallway, and Franky was left to wait at the door.

“Thanks for having Em over.” The brunette could feel the other woman’s eyes on her.

‘Oh no problem. The girls had fun. Are you going to be teaching any more classes? I was thinking of signing up for one.” She gave Franky a soft smile.

“Uh, not this semester, no, but maybe the next. I’ll let you know if I am.” She really wished that Emily would hurry up.

“Ready.” The young girl ran past the brunette and towards Bridget’s car in the driveway.

“That’s my cue. I’ll see you later.” Franky gave her a small smile, and waved goodbye, before she followed behind Emily.

“Did you have fun with Charlotte, love?” Bridget glanced into the rearview mirror at her niece.

“Yeah, we played with her dolls, and her dad tries to tell jokes, but they’re not funny,” Emily said with a serious look on her face, making the two women smile.

“Oh, well at least he’s trying.” Bridget tried to give a polite response to the young girl’s criticism.

“Hey, Em.” Franky turned around a bit in her seat, so that she could see her. “Do you like to swim?”

“Mom and Dad took me to the beach a couple of times, but I just made sandcastles,” Emily said quietly.

“Well, what do you think about the three of us doing a bit of swimming today?” The brunette had a big smile on her face. It seemed like it was something the young girl hadn’t really done before, so she was excited to share a new experience with her.

“Will there be a lot of people there?” Emily looked at the back of Bridget’s head, then at Franky.

“No, bub. Just you, me, and Auntie.” The brunette couldn’t quite put her finger on why, but she sensed that there was definitely some issue at play here with the young girl.

“Remember that nice lady who’s cat we’re feeding?” The blonde had taken Emily with her a couple of times when she’d fed it. “She said we could use their pool while they’re away.” 

“Okay.” Emily smiled a bit, but Franky still thought she should be more excited about it.

When they got home, the young girl insisted on showing Franky the pictures from her first day of school again.

“Did you meet any new friends?” the brunette asked her.

“No, it’s the same people as last year.” Emily set Bridget’s phone on the couch beside her. “Can I sit on your lap?”

“Sure.” Franky lifted her arm so that Emily could move onto her lap. “Would you like to play a game or something before we have lunch?”

“Monopoly.” The young girl leaned her head against Franky’s shoulder.

Bridget got up to get the game for them since Emily made no move to get off the brunette’s lap. 

The first game passed by quickly, and they had time for a second one before lunch. After they ate, they sent Emily to change into her bathing suit.

Franky pulled on a pair of boardshorts and a teal bikini top. She layered a thin singlet over top to protect her from the sun when she wasn’t in the water. When she turned around, she saw that Bridget had opted for a basic black bikini paired with a brightly colored wrap. The blonde caught her staring, and gave the brunette a wink.

As Bridget followed the brunette into the kitchen, she saw the red marks on the back of her shoulder. They looked sore, and she knew Franky must be feeling them when she moved that arm. When she stopped at the fridge to grab some drinks to take with them, the blonde placed a kiss beside each red line. The brunette looked over her shoulder and smiled. She tossed the drinks into the bag with their towels.

“You ready, Em?” Bridget called down the hallway.

“Yeah.” The young girl came out of her bedroom. 

The blonde picked up the watervest they had bought earlier, and reached down to take Emily’s hand. Franky followed behind them with the bag of towels and drinks.

When they got there, Bridget and Emily went to feed the cat while Franky went out to the pool area. She found some shade, and set their stuff there. She took off her singlet and placed it in the bag with the towels, as she heard the patio doors open behind her.

“Hey, come over here first. You need to put on some sunscreen and this before you get into the pool.” The brunette held up the vest. Emily had stopped walking and just stood there, looking at Franky. “Come here, bub.” 

The young girl walked over to her. The brunette sprayed her with the sunscreen then held up the vest for her to put her arms through. It zipped up in the back, and when Franky reached around to pull up the zipper, she felt a light touch on her side. Her first instinct was to move away from it. That tattoo was personal for her, and Bridget was the only one she’d ever tolerated touching it. 

“Em, love…” When the young girl looked up at her aunt, Bridget shook her head, and Emily took her hand away.

Franky figured the blonde must have caught the look on her face. She finished fastening the vest. “Okay, go wait by the pool, but don’t go in until one of us gets there.” The brunette patted her on the shoulder. “Thanks, Gidge.”

“She hasn’t seen that one before,” Bridget said quietly. When Franky gave her a puzzled look, she continued. “Has she ever seen you without a shirt on?”

“I don’t think so.” The brunette couldn’t quickly remember a time when she had. “Anyway, it’s okay. I just wasn’t expecting it.”

“I know.” The blonde gave her a kiss on the cheek.

They didn’t have to worry about Emily getting into the pool without them. When they turned around she was still several feet back from the edge.

“Alright, come on, love,” Bridget said as she walked past her niece.

The blonde walked down the steps into the shallow end of the pool, and Franky followed behind. When Bridget looked behind her, Emily was still standing on the very top step. 

The blonde had swam a few feet before she’d looked back, but Franky was still just at the bottom of the steps. When the brunette made eye contact with the young girl, she knew something was wrong. 

“What’s wrong, bub?” Franky stepped up on the bottom step so she could get a bit closer.

“I’m scared,” Emily said quietly.

By this time Bridget had returned to the steps as well. “Scared of the water?”

The young girl nodded. “When we went to the ocean, I went in the water and a wave came and I couldn’t breathe.”

“There’s no waves here, bub. Promise.” Franky smiled at her. “You’ve got your special vest, and we’re both here. We won’t let anything happen to you.” The brunette reached out her hand. “Take my hand, we’ll go slow. Try coming down one more step.”

They continued this way until the water had reached the young girl’s waist.

“Would you like to come the rest of the way in? Auntie or I will hold you.” Franky waited for her to decide.

When Emily reached out for her, the brunette stepped forward and let the young girl wrap her arms around her neck. Franky put an arm around her back and slowly walked backwards, pulling her away from the steps. When Emily’s feet were no longer touching the bottom, the brunette felt her arms tighten around her neck.

“You’re okay, bub.” Franky pulled her in against her side and she felt a leg on each side of her, squeezing like the young girl was holding on for dear life. She could feel her shaking a bit as well. “I’m going to crouch down a bit and we’ll walk around, alright?” 

Emily nodded, and the brunette bent her knees a bit, until the water was a few inches below her shoulders. They walked around like this for a bit. Between the water and the vest, the young girl felt almost weightless to Franky.

“You okay?” the brunette asked, and got a nod from Emily. “Let’s go see Auntie.”

Bridget had been watching the interaction from a bit of a distance. Once again she was struck by how good the brunette was with the young girl.

“You’re doing really well, love,” the blonde said when they came over next to her.

“Yeah, she is! You want to go with Auntie for a bit?” Franky wasn’t trying to get rid of her, but she thought this was something that Bridget would like to be involved in as well.

“Okay.” Emily reached out for the blonde, and Franky held onto her until she had her arms securely around Bridget’s shoulders. She walked around with her for a bit, and she could tell that her niece was slowly starting to relax. 

They traded her back and forth a few times before Franky decided to ask if she’d like to try something else. Emily was currently with the blonde. The younger woman grabbed one of the pool noodles from the side of the pool and swam over to meet them.

“Hey, bub, want to try something fun?” The brunette held up the pool noodle, but Emily stayed quiet. “It helps you float. It’s like the same stuff that’s in your vest. Look.” Franky pushed it under the water, only to have it spring back up a second later. The brunette laid on it so it went across her chest and under each armpit. “It works for me, and you’re smaller, so it’ll be fine.” She held it out to her.

“Will you be here?” Emily looked at the toy, then at Franky.

“Yeah of course. I’ll hold onto the back of your vest until you’re comfortable. How’s that?” Franky saw a small smile on the young girl's face, and she held the toy still while Emily got positioned. “Okay, I’m still here.” The brunette was standing beside her now and gave a gentle tug on the back of Emily’s vest; just enough so she knew she was there.

The brunette walked around with her like this for a while then traded off with Bridget.

“Let us know if you want to try this on your own,” the blonde said the second time she was walking around with her.

“I want to try.” Emily sounded confident.

“Okay.” Bridget let go of her. “Swim over to Franky.”

The brunette reached out for her when the young girl got close.

“That was so good!” Franky smiled when she heard Emily’s excited laughter. “Think you can swim back to Auntie?” The brunette pointed to where Bridget was currently, and she started swimming towards her aunt.

They continued this way for most of the afternoon, with Franky and Bridget walking to different spots in the pool and Emily swimming between them. She never got to the point where she wanted to ditch the pool noodle, and they would have made her keep the vest on anyway, but she’d still made a lot of progress. They were both proud of her.

********

Once they’d gotten back to the house, and changed out of their bathing suits, Bridget could tell that Emily was getting tired quickly. She’d lost count of how many times the young girl had swam across the pool between herself and Franky, but she knew it was a lot.

“Baby.” The blonde put her arms around Franky and stretched up to whisper in her ear. “I think we should have supper now before someone falls asleep.” She tilted her head towards the living room, where Emily was sitting on the couch, yawning. 

“Yeah.” The brunette gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “Do you want to start the fire while I get the food ready?”

“Sure.” Bridget gave her one last kiss, and headed outside.

“Hey, Em, do you want to help me get supper ready?’ the brunette asked, setting the bags on the counter. 

The young girl got up quickly and joined Franky in the kitchen. They’d never cooked a full meal using the firepit; she’d only ever roasted marshmallows or cooked hot dogs before, so she was excited to see how to cook a whole meal.

Emily and the brunette prepared all the packets of food, and took them outside. Franky carefully set them on the cooking grate that the blonde had placed over the fire.

As they sat and waited for everything to cook, the brunette tried to take in the moment. She had her arm around Bridget on one side of her, and her other arm around Emily on the other. It made it hard to want to leave again in just a few hours. 

“Can we start reading one of the books tonight?” Emily asked as she watched the flames.

Franky glanced at the blonde. She thought they’d told the young girl she’d only be there for the day.

“I can’t tonight, bub. I have to go back to the set.” The brunette ran a soothing hand over Emily’s hair.

“When?” The young girl’s voice was small now.

“After we eat.” Franky got no response, but she didn’t need one; she’d felt Emily move in a bit closer.

********

The brunette crouched down in front of the young girl and wrapped her arms around her.

“I need you to be a brave girl, and keep looking after Auntie, okay?” Franky felt her nod against her shoulder. “I love you, bub.” The brunette gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“I love you, too.” Emily returned the kiss.

Franky stood. It was Bridget’s turn to say goodbye.

“Em, love, give us a minute alone?” Bridget waited until her niece started to walk away before she turned to Franky.

“I love you, Gidge.” The younger woman wrapped her arms around the blonde.

“I love you, too,” Bridget said as she reached up and pulled the brunette in for a long slow kiss. “Make that last until I get to see you again,” the older woman said with a wink as they separated.

Franky smiled, and gave her a small nod. “I’ll call tomorrow night.” She gave the blonde another quick kiss, then headed out to her car.

Bridget watched until she lost sight of the brunette’s car. Just take it one day at a time, she said to herself as she went back into the house.


	60. Chapter 60

Franky walked back onto the set, and was thankful there weren’t many people in the main living area. She’d watched enough of these types of shows to know that there was always at least a little backlash from some of the other contestants for winning rewards. She had decided that later, she would tell Shayne where she had really gone. It wouldn’t feel right lying to him. They’d spent some time most evenings sitting outside together, and had started to build a trust. 

The brunette headed to the dorm so she could stash the few clothing items she’d grabbed. They’d made her turn in her phone again before she was allowed back on the set. She changed out of her jeans and into a pair of pyjama pants and went to sit on the patio. She hadn’t seen Shayne anywhere in the house, so she was hoping to find him out there.

“Well look who it is.” Hank announced her return loudly as she stepped out onto the patio.

Franky silently cursed in her head, So much for not drawing attention to herself, she thought. She didn’t acknowledge him, but just took an empty seat beside Shayne. She caught the young man’s eye, and greeted him with a small nod.

“How was the fancy hotel?” Hank spoke loudly enough that he definitely had everyone's attention focused on him now. When the brunette didn’t respond, he continued. “Judging by the marks on the back of your shoulder I’d say you had a big night. Strip club maybe?”

“Unlike some people, I don’t have to pay women to touch me, Hank.” Franky smirked, and heard a couple of the other contestants chuckle quietly. She could tell that Shayne was angry, but so far he’d made no move to jump in like last time.

“Fucking bitch,” Hank muttered under his breath, as he stormed off back inside.

“Don’t mind him.” One of the older women spoke up. 

As the evening went on, the others started going inside to sleep. It didn’t take long once she and Shayne were alone for him to ask what she knew had been on his mind since she’d returned.

“So how was it?” he asked, turning his head to look at her.

“I went home instead.” The brunette said it quietly in case anyone was still lingering just inside the doors. She wasn’t worried about the cameras; she knew Jillian wouldn’t let the editors leave it in the final cut.

“Everything good there?” Shayne leaned back in his chair and looked up at the night sky.

“Everything is fine.” Franky smiled thinking about the time she’d just spent with Bridget and Emily. 

“How did you convince them to let you do that?” He knew the show was pretty strict about not allowing any of them to have communication with anyone on the outside let alone actually see them.

The brunette knew he wasn’t asking in a mean or suspicious way, but it was still the question she’d been dreading; why was she allowed to leave and what made her special? 

“It was part of the deal I made with Jillian.” Franky played with the silver ring on her finger. 

“What?” The young man shook his head like he didn’t understand what she was saying.

“If I win a challenge that involves being allowed to leave the set, then I can opt to go home for that time instead.” She tried to make it sound like it wasn’t a big deal, but she knew it was.

He sat up and looked around to make sure they were still alone. He leaned in closer before he spoke again. “Franky, no offense, but how were you in a position to cut a deal like that?”

The brunette sighed.

“Franks.” Shayne reached out and nudged Franky’s knee with the back of his hand so she’d look at him.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before she began. “Remember when I said I’d fucked up before and gotten an assault charge?”

“Yeah, you said the right people had your back.” 

“Yeah.” Franky nodded. “I was on a reality cooking show, and I beat the shit out of the host. He pushed and pushed until I snapped. I just went at him right there on the set.” She tried to get a sense of what the young man was thinking, but he had a good poker face. “The show got shut down because of me, and well, you kind of know the rest after that.”

“Shit.” Shayne leaned back in his chair again. “That still doesn’t really explain what’s going on here right now though.” 

“Jillian apparently worked on that show too, but I don’t remember her. She thought I had potential back then, so when she got to run her own show, she tracked me down and asked me to be a part of it. One of my conditions for agreeing to do it was that I’d get some time at home if it could be done discreetly.” Franky shrugged.

“So…” He paused while he decided how he wanted to word his next question. “Are you a regular contestant then?”

The brunette knit her brow. “What do you mean?”

“Like...I don’t know.” Shayne shook his head and gave up.

“Are you asking if I know stuff that the rest of you don’t?” It hadn’t occurred to her that someone would think it had been set up for her to win. She’d just expected they’d be mad about the time she got at home.

“I guess.” He gave a small shrug.

“I don’t.” Franky shook her head. “I don’t know any more about the challenges, or dinner services, or anything else than you guys do. I just asked to be able to spend time with my family.”

“I can respect that. They’re important to you, and you put them first.” He thought for a minute. “To me, I don’t give a shit that you got to go home. I don’t mean that in a bad way. I’m glad they’re letting you do it, but I’m not jealous of it or anything because I don’t have anyone on the outside that I’m missing. Some of the others do though.”

He didn’t come out and say that it was going to cause trouble for her, but he didn’t have to. She knew exactly what he was getting at.

“Anyway, they won’t hear anything from me, and if you need someone to go along with a story, I’m fine with that. Just give me a heads up first. I’m not a great actor, so I need to prepare my lines.” Shayne laughed at his own joke.

The brunette smiled. “Thanks.” 

“So, what did you guys do?”

“Em stayed at a friend’s place last night. I didn’t tell them I was coming home. I wanted to surprise them, and I wanted Em to keep the plans with her friend. She doesn’t spend a lot of time away from us and we’re trying to get her out and doing more things with other kids. It worked out kind of nice though; me and Gidge spent the evening just hanging out. We watched a movie, and filled each other in on our weeks. We picked Em up in the morning and took her swimming, then cooked supper on the firepit.” Franky nodded to herself as she thought about the day she’d spent with them.

“So no strip clubs? I’m kind of disappointed.” He laughed, and the brunette joined in with him.

“Those days are behind me. Slipped in the pool,” she said pointing to her shoulder. It was a half lie, but it was believable.

“Gotcha.” Shayne nodded.

The brunette stretched. “I think I’m going to try to get some sleep. It’s been kind of a long day.”

“Alright. Night, Franks.”

“Night.” She stood, and headed inside to bed. It felt good to know that she still had someone in there who supported her even after she’d revealed a bit more of the truth.

********

“Come in,” Bridget called out. 

It was mid-morning on Monday, and the blonde was currently finishing up some notes on the session that had just ended. She looked up when the person entered the room.

“Julia.” The blonde was less than pleased to see her ex, but she remained professional.

“Good morning, Bridget.” Julia took a seat on the arm of one of the large green chairs. “I won’t keep you long. I thought maybe we could set up a time to continue our discussion from the other day.”

Bridget turned to her computer. “I’ve got an hour right after lunch. Other than that I’m pretty much booked for the day.”

“I was thinking it could be a lunch meeting. You know, go to a nice place, somewhere more relaxing than this little office, and go over some things.” A small smile played on her ex’s lips.

“I’m fine with meeting here. I really don’t thi-”

“What about that little Italian place you used to like? The one that overlooked the water.” Julia interrupted her, paying no attention to the fact that the blonde had declined her invitation. “I’ll meet you here at noon, we can leave together. I’ll drive.” She gave Bridget a quick smile, then quickly left.

The blonde shook her head. She didn’t want to go, but she knew from their last meeting that Julia was out to end half of the programs she’d worked so hard to set up. If she refused a second meeting, and her ex put that in the final report to Channing, then it would look like she didn’t care about her work.

She thought that maybe she could get Vera to go with her. She could say they already had plans anyway, and she felt it would be rude to ditch her friend. When she opened Vera’s calendar however, she saw that she was on a scheduled day off. Bridget sighed.

********

Bridget’s last appointment of the morning had just left when Julia appeared in her doorway.

“Ah, good, you’re free. Let’s go, shall we?” Julia checked her phone while she waited for the blonde to gather her things. “Oh, you won’t need those. I’m driving, remember?” she said when she saw that the other woman had picked up her keys.

“Thanks, but I’m driving myself.” Bridget gave her a small smile. There was no way she was going to let her ex take her somewhere, and not have her own way home.

“Whatever,” Julia mumbled as she followed the blonde out to the parking lot.

When they got to the restaurant, the host led them to a table for two in the outdoor area overlooking the water. He waited until they were seated, then placed a menu in front of each of them.

“Your waiter will be with you in a moment,” he said, giving them each a quick smile before making his way back to the front of the restaurant. 

They sat in silence while they both looked over the menu. Bridget actually preferred the awkward silence over any conversation with her ex anyway.

“G’day, I’m Shawn, and I’ll be your waiter today. Have you ladies decided yet, or would you like a few more minutes?” He sat a glass of ice water in front of each of them, and waited for a reply.

“I think we’re ready.” Julia looked at the blonde, who gave a small nod.

“Excellent.” Shawn took a notepad and pencil from his pocket. “What can I get for you?”

Bridget began her order. “I’ll have a sparkling water, and the pol-”

“We’ll have a bottle of the Amarone della Valpolicella Classico.” Julia interrupted. “I’ll have the filetto di maiale, and Bridget will have the tortellini al prosciutto. That was your favorite, right?”

The blonde was silent. She couldn’t believe the arrogance of her ex. It took her a second to realize that the waiter was still awkwardly waiting for her answer.

“Actually, I’ll have the pollo alla parmigiana. Thanks,” she said, handing her menu back to Shawn. 

He gave them a small nod, and hurried back to the kitchen.

“What’s wrong, Bridget? You used to like when I ordered for you.” Julia took a sip of her water.

“I _never_ liked when you ordered for me.” The blonde clenched her hand that was laying on her lap, then stretched out her fingers, trying to will herself to relax.

“You never said you didn’t.” Her ex shrugged.

“Well, I didn’t.” What Bridget really wanted to say was that it wasn’t worth the argument that she knew would have followed if she’d voiced her dislike back when they’d been a couple. She reached down and pulled a file out of the bag she’d brought with her. “We should discuss some things while we wait for the food.”

“I didn’t bring you here to talk about work.” Julia leaned back in her chair.

“Your exact words were ‘lunch meeting’.” The blonde watched her across the table.

“Would you have come otherwise?” She took another sip of her water.

“No, and if that’s the case, I shouldn’t be here now.” Bridget reached down and put the file back in her bag.

“Bridget, come on, don’t make a scene.” Julia looked around to see if any of the other diners had noticed their discussion. “Look, I’ve talked to a lot of people over the past couple weeks, both staff and inmates. They all adore you, and can’t say enough good things about the work you do there. I may not agree with everything you’re doing, but it’s clearly having the desired effect. Even Derek likes you, and he rarely likes anyone he can’t either manipulate, or get into bed. I will be making a couple of recommendations, but nothing major. So, let’s just have a friendly lunch, okay?”

The blonde sat her bag back on the floor beside her chair. She still wanted to leave, but part of her was so relieved that Julia wouldn’t be recommending undoing all of her work, that she figured she could put up with eating lunch with her.

“Good,” Julia said when she saw Bridget relax in her chair again. 

Her ex had that smirk on her face; ‘That’s better’. The blonde couldn’t even begin to explain how much she’d come to hate that look.

“I’ve missed this place,” Julia said looking out over the water.

“It’s been awhile since I’ve been here myself.” The blonde would be polite, but that’s as far as she was willing to go.

“I’d imagine this type of place isn’t exactly Franky’s style.” She turned her attention back to Bridget.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” The blonde narrowed her eyes.

“I just mean I don’t think it’s somewhere she would be comfortable. It’s quite fancy.” Julia flattened a wrinkle that had appeared in the leg of her pants. “She’s not your usual type. She’s a bit _young_, a bit _unrefined_, don’t you think?”

“Franky would fit in just fine here. In fact, she likes this place. We just don’t go out to eat much because she prefers to cook for us.” Bridget decided to let most of her ex’s last comment slide.

“Ah, how _domestic_.” Julia sat back in her chair as the waiter arrived with their wine.

He also sat a glass of sparkling water in front of the blonde, and gave her a small, sympathetic smile. 

“I don’t want any wine, thanks,” the blonde said when she noticed that Julia was filling their glasses.

“Bridget.” She gave the blonde a patronizing smile. “I’ve never known you to refuse a nice glass of wine before.” She began to pour into the other woman’s glass.

“Well I’m refusing now.” Bridget watched as her ex continued to fill her glass anyway.

“Have you set a date yet?” Julia asked, setting the wine bottle on the table. “For the wedding?”

“Uh, no, nothing concrete yet. We’ve been busy and there’s something Franky’s doing for work first. After that we’re going to sit down and make some plans.” She saw her ex watch her pick up the glass of sparkling water instead of the wine she’d poured for her.

“Yes, I imagine taking on Emily would be quite a large burden.” She sipped at her wine. 

“She’s a child, not a burden, Julia.” Bridget took a deep breath.

“I never pictured you as the domestic type, but if that’s what you want.” Julia waved her hand dismissively.

“It is what I want. I can’t wait to marry Franky and have a child with her.” The second part had slipped out. The blonde hadn’t intended to share that many personal details with her ex. “And what’s that supposed to mean, that you never pictured me as the domestic type?”

“You just never expressed a desire to get married or have kids when we were together. I didn’t think they were things you wanted.” She looked out over the water before focusing her attention back on Bridget.

“You’d made it pretty clear that you didn’t like kids. You made such a fuss when Em visited, I wasn’t about to ask if you wanted any of your own.” The blonde wished their food would hurry up so they’d at least have something to distract them.

“And you assumed that meant I didn’t want to get married either?” Julia took another sip of her wine.

“It never really crossed my mind, to be honest.” Bridget had never thought about it until now, but Franky was the only person she’d ever dated that she actually wanted to marry. She’d always thought that knowing she was in a committed relationship was what mattered, not having a piece of paper. With Franky though, she wanted to be able to say she was her wife. Almost like it was another level of commitment that she hadn’t considered before.

“You didn’t want to marry me?” When the blonde stayed quiet, Julia continued. “I would have, you know, married you. I still would.”

Bridget paused with her water glass halfway to her mouth, then set it back on the table. She looked out over the water, watching the boats sail in and out of the waterfront.

“I’m with Franky, and I love her very much.” The blonde didn’t know what else to say.

“I know, but she’s not good enough for you.” Julia straightened the silverware in front of her as she spoke. 

“Excuse me?” Bridget couldn’t quite believe what she’d heard.

“Besides the fact that she must be at least fifteen years younger than you, she also has a very questionable past.” She paused. “You did know about her past, right? When she beat a man unconscious for insulting her cooking?”

“How did you…?” The blonde knew she hadn’t told her ex enough information about Franky to know those kinds of details.

“I have my ways. I’m just concerned for your safety. If she were to snap again, I’m worried what she might do to you.” Julia reached out and placed her hand on top of Bridget’s that was resting on the table.

The blonde ripped her hand away like she’d been burnt. 

“You were the only one who ever laid a hand on me,” Bridget spat back quietly.

“I told you, I was just under a lot of pressure, and not coping well at the time. I went and got help, and I’m fine now. Can you say the same about her?” She looked at the blonde as if she’d just made the most logical argument ever, and there was no way Bridget could disagree with her.

“Yes, I can. Franky would never hurt me.” The blonde knew this with absolute certainty. “And your excuse of being under pressure is bullshit. Everyone is under pressure at some point, but they don’t act out like you did. I’m leaving now. Tell Channing whatever you want in your report.”

“Come on, Bridget. I’m trying here.” Julia sighed.

The blonde grabbed her bag, and stood up. Her ex made no move to stop her this time. She didn’t look back, she was focused on getting through the restaurant to the front doors and then out to her car.

“Ma’am, hey, ma’am, wait a second.” Shawn was finally able to catch up with her just before she made it to the doors. “Here.” He held out a take out container.

“What...what’s that?” She’d been caught off guard.

“Your meal. I was just getting ready to bring it out when I saw you were leaving.” He tried to hand the container to her again. “She’s paying for it whether you take it or not. So you might as well enjoy it considering what you had to put up with.” He hadn’t heard their whole conversation, but he knew from the way Julia had ordered for her that the woman was an ass.

“Thanks.” Bridget gave him a weak smile, and took the food.

As she drove back to Wentworth, she wished that Vera didn’t have the day off, so she could go see her when she got there. She wished that she could call Franky, and lay in bed with her that night and tell her what had happened while the brunette held her. She hated that Julia still got to her so easily.

********

“Hey.” Bridget smiled when she saw Franky’s face on the screen of her phone.

“Hey, babe. I’m sorry it’s so late, they ran overtime with a couple of the interviews before mine. Is Em already in bed?” The brunette knew she most likely was, but she wanted to check.

“Yeah, she went about a half hour ago.” The blonde saw the look of disappointment on Franky’s face. “It’s okay, she understands. I had a talk with her and she knows if you don’t call it’s because you’re working.”

“I know, but I still hate it. We’ve got service tomorrow night, so I’m going to ask if I can call before that. You’ll be home right after you pick Em up?” She figured she could ask Jillian for a few minutes in the interview room before they had to be on set. Everyone was usually busy getting ready then, so it was unlikely they’d notice she was missing.

“Yeah, I will. She’d like that.” Bridget gave her a small smile.

“What’s wrong, babe?” Franky could read her pretty well by now, and she knew the older woman wasn’t acting like her usual self.

“Nothing,” Bridget said, shaking her head.

“Gidge.” The brunette wanted to be able to reach out and put her arms around her fiancée. “I know there is. You can tell me. I know I can’t be there, but I can still listen, yeah? And we can talk about it.”

“I had lunch with Julia today. She said it was a lunch meeting, but it wasn’t. She just wanted to get me somewhere outside of Wentworth where it would be just the two of us.” Bridget paused to compose herself. She knew the more emotional she was, the more upset Franky would be. “She was typical Julia. She insulted you, she was arrogant and rude. I told her I couldn’t wait to marry you, and she asked if I ever thought about her and I getting married when we were together.” The blonde saw the younger woman shift in her chair. “I said no, and that’s the truth; it wasn’t something I wanted with her. She said she would have married me if I had wanted, and she still would.”

Franky leaned back in her chair, and then forward again. “She’s still in love with you. That’s dangerous, Gidge.” She wasn’t worried about Julia winning Bridget back, but she knew first hand what could happen when you didn’t share someone’s feelings.

“I know, but I don’t think she’d delusional. She just hasn’t moved on.” Bridget debated whether to tell the brunette the part about Julia digging into her past. In the end, she decided that complete honesty was best. “She also knew stuff about you. She knew you beat up Pennisi, and she said she was worried you’d hit me if you got mad enough again. I told her she was the only one who’d ever done that, then I walked out. I just, I don’t know how she knows. All she knows is your first name. She doesn’t know your job or anything.”

“It’s not that hard really. Maybe there was mail in the letterbox the day she was there and she checked the names. Maybe she has a buddy who’s a cop and she grabbed my license plate that day and got them to run it. Maybe she just googled my first name and got lucky with the article from the paper. The stuff with Pennisi is out there too. The network tried to bury it, but nothing stays totally locked away in the age of social media and the internet.” Franky sighed. “I don’t care what she found out about me, but I care that you’re safe. Maybe you should ask Vera if she’d stay at the house with you until Julia goes back home.”

“I don’t think it’s that serious. She let me leave the restaurant and hasn’t tried to make any contact since.” The blonde felt safe in her house. The doors and windows were locked and she wasn’t like most people who had spare keys hidden outside. If Julia did show up to cause trouble, she had no problem calling the police, and she knew Em knew how to use her phone to call for help as well. She and Franky had shown her one night after the stuff with Kim, in case there was ever an emergency again.

“Okay, but if you ever don’t feel safe, even a little bit, promise you’ll get someone to stay with you. Vera, or Liz, or Will. I can give you Bea, Allie, and Boomer’s numbers too. I know they’d be there in a second.” The brunette was already scrolling through her phone for their numbers.

“Baby, it’s okay, I don’t need their numbers. I’ve got Vera’s, Liz’s, and Will’s.” She knew if Franky had her way, she’d have a whole army of people living there until she was done with the show.

“Just in case.” The brunette hit send, and heard the tone from Bridget’s phone indicating that she’d received the message. “And if it’s real trouble, call Will, cause, you know.” She flexed her arm.

“Yeah, I know.” The blonde couldn’t help but laugh a bit. “How was your day, baby?” She loved that Franky was concerned for her, but she was ready to change the subject.

“It was pretty good. The challenge we filmed today was a team one, and we lost. I wouldn’t have gotten to come home even if we’d won, so it’s okay. While they’re getting their reward, we get “punished” by having to set up both kitchens, but we can use the extra time to go over stuff for the service.” The brunette found herself making plans and strategies for her team even though she didn’t want to be the leader.

“Sounds good. When does it start airing on tv?” It had just occurred to the blonde that she’d never asked that.

“I think it was supposed to be the end of this week, but there was talk it may get pushed back. They said something like we’re filming twelve episodes in six or seven weeks.” It didn’t seem like a lot, but with the challenges, rewards, and classes in between, almost every day was taken up by something.

“I’ll let Vera and Liz know to check then.” Bridget gave her a wink.

“I’m sure Liz has a reminder set already.” Franky let out a small laugh. When she looked up, one of the crew members was signalling to her that it was time for her to go back to the dorms. “Gidge, they’re telling me I have to go now. Give my love to Em, and don’t forget I’m going to try to call early tomorrow.”

“I will, and I won’t.” The blonde promised her.

“And call someone if you need to.” Franky knew she’d said it a bunch of times, but she felt helpless being in there, and the only thing she could do was remind Bridget to stay safe.

“I will, I promise. I love you.” She kissed her fingers and held them up to the screen.

Franky returned the gesture. “I love you, too, babe.”

The screen went black, and the brunette sat there for a minute before she turned her phone in and exited the interview room. She knew Bridget had support and friends out there with her, but Franky knew her mind wouldn’t rest completely until she knew that Julia had gone back to Sydney.


	61. Chapter 61

“Hey, Jillian! Can we talk for a minute?” Franky had happened to see the producer on set just before they started their work for the day.

She motioned for the brunette to follow her to a quiet area away from the others. She didn’t know what Franky wanted to talk about, so she always tried to stay out of earshot of the others.

“Is there any way I can call Gidge before the dinner service tonight?” The brunette knew every time she asked for something special, she risked looking suspicious to the others, but she really wanted to be able to talk to Emily tonight as well as the blonde.

“Uh, yeah I guess I could arrange for them to call you in for a short interview before we start filming. I can’t promise it’ll be long though.” As far as requests went, Jillian felt like the phone calls were pretty easy ones to fulfill, so she always tried to make them happen.

“Great! Awesome, thanks!” Franky gave her a smile, and headed back to her team.

“So what are we doing today?” Jenna asked the brunette when she entered the kitchen.

Franky felt like this was as good a time as any to tell them that she wasn’t, and didn’t want to be, the leader of this team.

“Guys, listen, I don’t mind helping out or giving advice or whatever, but I’m not in charge here, no one is.” She looked at each of their faces, but couldn’t get a read on how they felt about what she’d just said.

“But you did it last time,” Catherine said from the back.

“And you’re good at it,” Shayne chimed in.

George and Hank remained silent, so she assumed they either agreed, or didn’t care.

“Alright,” Franky sighed. “Hank, you’re on seafood. I’ll do the meat station. Jenna, you’re on desserts. Catherine, you do the general stocking up, and George, you’re on garnish. Remember we’re prepping double the amount this time since we’re doing both kitchens. If you finish your stuff early, help someone else.”

They worked mostly in silence except for someone asking the occasional question. The brunette watched the time closely. She didn’t want to miss her window to make her phone call.

As soon as they were done their work, and the others went to the dorms to grab something to eat before service, Franky hurried to the interview room. 

“Hey, baby.” Bridget answered on the first ring.

“Hey, Gidge, Em.” The brunette smiled. It was always good to see them.

“Auntie Bridge said you were going to call early today, but that didn’t mean I had to go to bed early.” 

Franky gave a small laugh. “Yeah, bub, I just have to work later on, but I wanted to talk to you. How’s school?”

“Good! We had to read two books this week, but I finished them both today, so Ms. Williams let me get more from the library.” Emily sounded almost bored with school so far. “I asked if we were going to learn about cooking, but she said no they don’t teach cooking in school. I told her that you learned about it in school.”

“I learned about it in a different kind of school. She probably just meant the school you’re in now.” The brunette could picture Emily correcting her teacher.

“Can I go to that school instead?” Emily asked, looking at both her aunt and Franky.

“When you’re older if it’s what you still want. Right now, you need to stay where you are, and learn about all the other things you can do besides cooking.” The brunette knew that neither she, nor Bridget, would discourage Emily from choosing any career she wanted. “When I’m back, I can teach you more cooking stuff. Are you learning stuff with Liz?”

“Yeah, but she doesn’t let me do as much as you do.” The young girl looked down at her hands.

“She’s probably just being cautious. She’s not used to having such a little helper.” Franky remembered that it took awhile before she was comfortable letting Emily do certain things, and she figured it would be the same with Liz.

“Are you coming home this weekend?” Emily asked this question every time they talked.

“I don’t know yet. If I am, I’ll tell you guys as soon as I find out.” The brunette hated that she didn’t have a concrete schedule. If she just knew for sure when she would, or wouldn’t be seeing them, it would make it a lot easier.

“Franky, they’re almost ready out there,” Jiliian said as she stuck her head into the room.

“Okay guys, I have to go. I’ll try to call tomorrow night. I love you both.” Franky watched as both Bridget and Emily blew kisses and said their I-love-yous before they ended the call.

Before she turned in her phone, the brunette sent a quick text.

_ To: Gidge  
I’ll try to call you after service tonight if it’s not too late. Xo_

Bridget smiled when she saw the message appear on her screen. She’d never try to discourage Franky from talking to them, but she hoped that it wasn’t going to eventually get her into trouble.

When the brunette returned to the kitchen, the others were already there. It seemed like they had already chosen their stations, and she was glad that they took the initiative to do so without her directing them. The only open station was seafood, which she didn’t mind. People usually weren’t as picky about their seafood as they are meat. As long as you didn’t over or undercook it, they were happy.

Jared called out the first ticket, and Franky was up right away with two orders of scallops. 

“Three minutes!” The brunette called out the time she’d need to cook her dish, so that the others could be ready at the same time. 

“Three minutes, heard.” Hank was doing the garnishes tonight, so he would be setting up the plates everyone needed for their main dishes.

Franky seared each side of the scallops then took them up front to Jared.

“Hank! Where’s the garnish to go with these?” Jared looked behind him to see what was going on.

“I need a couple more minutes.” Hank was casually stirring something in a pot.

“These scallops don’t have a couple minutes. If you’re not ready in less than thirty seconds, I’m tossing them.” The chef knew he was hard on the contestants, but he refused to send subpar food from the kitchen. “Come on, these are getting cold. You ready or not?”

“I need at least three minutes.” Hank looked like he was making no progress toward getting his food out.

“Hank what the fuck is in the pot? Franky normally let Jared handle the others during service, but this time she couldn’t help but say something herself. “The apple celery salad and tarragon mayo go with the scallops!” When Hank gave her nothing but a blank stare, she realized that he was preparing the wrong garnish. “Fuck sake.” 

The brunette walked around the end of the counter, and moved Hank to the side. She quickly plated two servings of the salad and placed the tarragon mayo on the plate. On the way back to her station, she set the plates on the counter at the front.

“Well done, Franky. Hope you were paying attention, Hank,” Jared said as he placed the scallops onto the plates.

Hank didn’t respond, but simply picked the pot up off the stove and threw it into the large sink behind him. 

The rest of the appetizers went out without any problems, and now it was time for the main courses. 

“Table four, two salmon, two new york strips, medium.” Jared called out the orders for the first table and was met with a chorus of ‘yes chef’.

“Two salmon, seven minutes.” Franky called out her timing so the others could time their cooking appropriately. “How long for the strips, Jenna?”

“Um.” The young woman looked to the front where the chef now had his back turned to them. “He said medium, right?” she asked the brunette quietly.

“Yep, how long do you need?” Franky knew the answer, but she wanted Jenna to call it out for the others, and to show Jared that she had confidence in her work. “Seven and a half,” the brunette whispered when she still got no response from the young woman.

“Two strips, seven and a half minutes.” Jenna picked up two of the seasoned steaks and placed them in the hot pan.

Franky waited and gave her a slight head start before she placed the salmon into her pan. She watched Jenna out of the corner of her eye, and things appeared to be going smoothly, so she didn’t offer any more advice. 

“Two salmon, chef.” The brunette set the tray on the front counter.

Jenna was right behind her.

“Two New York strips, chef,” she said, setting her own tray beside Franky’s.

The brunette had already moved onto the next ticket when Jared called both her and Jenna to the front.

“Yes, chef?” Jenna asked nervously.

“Look at the steaks. How were they supposed to be cooked?” The chef had sliced them both open and laid them out on the tray.

“Medium,” the young woman said in a small voice.

“And they are?” Jared waited for her answer.

“Well.” She looked at the floor.

“Exactly.” He turned his attention to Franky. “Your salmon was beautifully done, but unfortunately…” Jared picked up both trays and dumped the food into the garbage can. “They have to be ready at the same time. Both of you start over.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Jenna repeated on the way back to her station.

“Don’t worry about it. Let’s go again. We’ll get it this time, yeah?” The brunette knew it wasn’t her who had messed up, but she’d said ‘we’ so she wouldn’t make the young woman feel any worse.

Jenna nodded.

A few moments later, they were both taking their food to the front for the second time.

“Jenna, back here, please.” Jared once again laid out the sliced steak on the tray. This time he didn’t have to say anything more.

“It’s well, not medium.” The young girl immediately turned to go back and start over for a third time.

“Franky, well done again, but you’ll have to start over too,” the chef called out as he once again, threw the food into the garbage can.

“I’m sorry, I can’t.” Jenna wiped her eyes as she walked right past her station.

“Hey, where are you going?” Franky reached out and just managed to grab the sleeve of the young woman’s jacket.

“I can’t do this, I’m sorry.” She wiped her face again as she turned to face the brunette.

“Yes, you can. Listen, if you walk out of here now, they’re not going to let you come back.” Franky understood that Jenna was overwhelmed, but she knew the young woman knew her stuff, and she didn’t want it to end like this for her.

“They all know I fucked up. I’m going to be eliminated anyway. Look.” Jenna motioned to the others in the kitchen who were all standing, watching the exchange happening between the two women.

“Maybe, maybe not. Would you rather be able to say you were eliminated, though, or have to tell people you just gave up and walked out?” The brunette knew she was being harsh, but she was hoping it would make the young woman just mad enough to fight back and stay.

“You’re right. Okay.” She took a deep breath and made her way back to her station. 

“Remember the trick.” Franky held up her hand and touched each of her fingers to her thumb in sequence.

“What?” Jenna gave her a confused look.

“You know, so you can tell how done the meat is just by touch.” The brunette just got another confused look, so she explained. “Index finger to thumb, then push on the big muscle right here.” Franky pushed on the large muscle right below the inside of her thumb. “That firmness is ‘rare’. Index finger to thumb, that’s ‘medium’. Ring finger is ‘medium-well’, and pink is ‘well’. Check often, okay? It seems like those steaks are cooking a bit faster than the standard times.”

“Middle finger steaks, got it.” Jenna seemed oblivious to the humor in what she’d said until she heard the brunette laugh.

“Yeah, middle finger steaks.” Franky shook her head and prepared to start cooking another two servings of salmon.

Third time was the charm, and the service flowed smoothly after that. The Blue team finished all their orders first, but that didn’t necessarily mean they were the winning team. As they stood lined up waiting for Jared to return to film the elimination segment, Franky could tell that Jenna was nervous.

“Alright, so each team had some issues tonight, but something in particular stands out in my mind. Blue team, you’re the winners for tonight’s service, so you can all head back to the dorms. Red team, I need each of you to give me the name of someone on your team who you think deserves to go home tonight, and why. Shayne, you’re up first. Who do you nominate and why?” Jared crossed his arms while he waited for Shayne’s response.

“I’d nominate Hank. He had major problems getting started tonight and he brings a bad vibe to the team.” Shayne could feel Hank’s eyes burning into him, but he kept his focus on the chef.

“Okay.” Jared thought for a moment before he moved on. “Hank, who do you nominate, and why?” 

“I nominate Franky.” Hank was confident at first, but the feeling started to fade when he saw the looks he was getting from his teammates.

“Franky? Wha-” Jared sighed. “Okay, why Franky?”

“I felt she was disrespectful when she pushed me aside and took over my station at the beginning. Had she been a proper leader, she would have also made sure Jenna knew what she was doing, before her food got sent back, twice.” Hank held up two fingers as he glared at the young woman.

“Yeah, alright.” The chef ran a hand over his face. “Franky, who do you nominate?”

“Hank. He hasn’t been a team player from the start, and I believe he tried to sabotage our first service.” The brunette had actually considered nominating Jenna. The young woman messed up more tonight than Hank had, but in the end, she felt that intentional sabotage was worse.

Catherine nominated Hank, and George nominated Jenna.

“Okay, so the three people nominated are Jenna, Hank, and Franky.” Jared shook his head when he said the brunette’s name. “Please step forward.”

The chef stood and looked at the group for what felt like forever. Franky could sense Jenna shifting nervously beside her.

“Hank, you chose Franky because you feel like she disrespected you? I feel like you disrespected your team by being so unprepared that you were cooking the wrong garnish, and what happened with Jenna has nothing to do with anyone besides Jenna.” Jared turned his attention to the brunette. “Franky, go back and join your team.”

Franky let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, and walked the few steps back to join the others. She felt Shayne’s hand squeeze her shoulder when she took her place back with the group.

“Jenna, you were a bit of a mess out there at first. What happened?” Jared’s demeanor had softened a bit compared to when he had been talking with Hank a moment earlier.

“I don’t know. I just…” The young woman didn’t finish her sentence, and just shrugged.

“You wanted to leave, but Franky stopped you. Do you still feel like you’re done here?” Jared stepped in front of her, forcing her to look him in the eye.

“No, chef. I want to stay.” Jenna took in a shaky breath.

“Good. Back in line with your team then.” The chef returned to his original spot. “You know, Hank, there have been issues ever since you got here. I saw the footage from the first couple of nights here. I saw the footage from the first service, and tonight was a pretty big fuck up.” He looked to where Franky was standing. He believed what she’d said about the sabotage; he’d seen the footage himself. “There’s one thing I hate more than a fuck up or someone who plays dirty though, and that’s someone who’s lazy. George, step up here.” Jared pointed to the spot beside Hank. “For two services, I’ve seen almost nothing from you come up to the front. You didn’t finish your own prep work either day. Today, I’m pretty sure that Shayne and Catherine did most of it. Hank, go back to your team. George, give me your jacket, you’re out.” Jared held out his hand and waited for the man to hand over his jacket.

Franky couldn’t believe it. She thought for sure they’d gotten rid of Hank. She had to admit that she hadn’t noticed the fact that George was slacking off. She had been too busy with her own work, or helping Jenna to notice what he’d been doing tonight. 

Hank gave them all the finger as he walked past them back to the dorms.

The brunette spotted Jillian, and hurried over to her.

“Can I have a few minutes to call home tonight?” Franky knew she was asking a lot to have two calls in one day, but she’d told Bridget she’d try.

“Yeah, fine, not too long though.” The producer waived her off.

The brunette hurried to the interview room, and a crew member handed her her phone, then left. She quickly dialed Bridget’s number. She answered on the first ring.

“Gidge.” Franky’s face lit up. “You’re in bed, did I wake you?”

“No, baby, I was awake. I thought I’d wait for your call here,” Bridget said as she pushed the blankets down under her arm. “How was service?”

“It was okay. We lost though, and I got nominated, by asshole Hank, but I’m still here.” The brunette looked closer at the screen. “Are you naked, babe?” Franky could see the older woman’s bare shoulders above the blanket.

“Maybe. Are you alone?” Bridget asked with a mischievous smirk.

The brunette looked around quickly. “Yep.”

“In that case…” The blonde pushed the blankets down to her waist. “So why did you get nominated tonight?”

“I, um, I don’t know, really. I think Hank just hates me.” Franky moved her head like she was trying to see further down Bridget’s body.

“Are you distracted, baby?” The blonde moved onto her back, giving the younger woman a full side view of her upper body.

“A little bit, but I like it.” Franky smiled at her. “You’re beautiful.”

Bridget just smiled, and shook her head. Hearing the brunette say that always caught her a bit off guard.

“How’s work been?” Franky really wanted to just watch her fiancée, but she also wanted to make sure she was doing alright.

“Work’s good. No issues there at the moment.” The blonde refused to use her name and allow her into their conversation tonight. They both knew what she was talking about. Bridget watched the brunette’s eyes follow her fingers up and down the length of her stomach. “How long do we have tonight, baby?”

“Not long enough,” Franky said with a smirk. “I could watch you all night.”

“I wish you could take me to bed with you tonight.” This honestly wasn’t where Bridget was planning for this to go when she decided to show up to the call half naked. She figured she’d tease the brunette for a bit and that would be the end of it.

“You wouldn’t want to come to bed with me here. I have a single bed in a room with five other people, with cameras.” The brunette scrunched up her nose.

“You think if they were all asleep that I wouldn’t have sex with you? We’d have to be quiet…” Bridget winked at her as she ran her fingers down her stomach again.

“Would you?” Franky honestly didn’t picture that as something the blonde would be into.

“Sure, baby. I know you were here just a couple of days ago, but I miss being in bed with you every night.” Bridget stretched and arched her back off the bed a bit.

She turned her head to see the brunette watching her intently. The blonde maintained eye contact and let her hand slip under the sheet that was around her waist. Her eyes fluttered closed for a second.

“Franky, time’s up. I need your phone before you go back out there.” One of the crew popped into the room, then left again quickly to allow her to say goodbye in private.

“Fuck, I have to go, babe. I’m sorry.” Franky gave her an apologetic look.

“It’s okay, baby. Maybe we’ll continue another time.” Bridget gave her a sly smile. “I love you.” She kissed her fingers and held them up to the camera.

“I love you too, Gidge.” The brunette returned the gesture, and ended the call.

She took a deep breath to compose herself before she rejoined the others. She hoped that everyone else was going to fall asleep early tonight, otherwise she might need to spend some extra time in the shower.

********

The next evening when Franky was allowed to have her phone back again, she turned it on and was greeted by a notification saying that Bridget had left her a couple of messages. That wasn’t anything unusual. The blonde often left her little notes or sent pictures to show she was thinking about her throughout the day. The first one she had sent though, was a video. The brunette opened the message, and quickly turned down the volume, even though she was pretty sure she was alone.

The video was Bridget, laying in bed after their call the night before; the phone in the same spot as it had been when they’d spoken. Clearly she’d edited out some of the footage between when they’d said goodnight and when the video started, because it was getting right to the point. 

Franky watched the blonde’s body move in response to how she was touching herself, and heard her breathing change. After a moment, she came, with one hand gripping the bed sheet beneath her, her lips parted and her eyes closed tightly. The brunette could see her muscles tense then relax a few times. 

The older woman took a few seconds to catch her breath then turned her head to look into the camera. She gave a small smile and wink before she reached over to stop the recording.

Franky took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as she shook her head. Bridget was everything and more than she could have even thought to ask for in a partner. She had her kind, caring, supportive side, but she also had a fun, playful, naughty side as well.

She selected the blonde’s number from her contacts, and waited for her to answer. It wasn’t long before she appeared on the screen along with Emily.

“Hey, baby.” Bridget gave the brunette a knowing smirk.

“Hey, Gidge.” Franky returned the smirk. “How was your day?”

“It was good. I got a good night’s sleep.” The blonde raised her eyebrows a bit, making the younger woman laugh a bit.

Emily looked at the two of them like she was trying to figure out what was so funny, and why she wasn’t in on the joke.

“That’s good,” Franky said with a nod. “How about you, bub? How was school today?”

“Good. We learned about helping the environment with things like recycling. Then Ms. Williams asked if we could think of things we did at home that would help, and I couldn’t think of anything at first. Then someone said about taking short showers to save water, and I remembered you said that you and Auntie Bridge shower together to save time, so that was my answer.” Emily finished her story with a big smile on her face.

Bridget and Franky exchanged a glance.

“You said we take short showers?” The brunette was hoping the young girl had left it at that.

“Yeah, and that you and Auntie shower together, so that saves even more water, because it’s like two people at once.” Emily again, seemed pleased with her answer.

The blonde tried not to react to the look on Franky’s face, but it wasn’t easy. It was a mixture of shock and embarrassment. 

“That was a good answer, love. We recycle here at home, too. So now you have an answer for next time as well.” Bridget stepped in, not wanting Emily to think she’d done or said something bad.

“Are you coming home soon?” The young girl moved on from the previous topic quickly.

“Not this weekend, sorry. You and Auntie will have to do something fun and you can send me pictures and tell me all about it when I call.” Franky tried to play it off like it wasn’t a big deal that she couldn’t come home that weekend, but inside, she hated that it would probably be at least another week before she had a chance to see them again.

“I just want to stay here with Auntie.” The young girl put her arms around her aunt.

“We don’t have to decide anything right now,” the blonde said, rubbing her niece’s back. “Why don’t you say goodnight to Franky, and go put your pyjamas on? Then we can watch a cartoon or something before bed.”

“Goodnight, Franky. I love you.” Emily reached out and touched the brunette’s face on the screen.

“I love you too, bub.” Franky touched her screen as well.

“Did you like what I sent you earlier?” Bridget asked once Emily had disappeared down the hallway.

“Very much. It was really hot.” The brunette grinned at her. “How did I get so lucky?”

The blonde shrugged. “I got lucky, too. I’m glad you liked it.”

“I had to have a long shower afterwards.” Franky laughed and Bridget joined in. “Speaking of which, Gidge, I can’t believe she told her whole class, and the teacher, that we shower together!”

The blonde waived her hand dismissively. “It’s not a big deal, baby.”

“It kind of is, isn’t it? I mean, that’s our private business.” Franky wasn’t a prude by any means, but she enjoyed keeping her private life private.

“We think that because we know _why_ we’re showering together. Kids don’t think the same way. She really believes what we told her; that it saves time. I doubt any of the other kids in her class think any differently than she does. Yeah, maybe her teacher gets it, but she knows that kids say awkward things sometimes because they don’t understand what they’re really saying. She probably just brushed it off and moved on.” Bridget saw the brunette start to relax a bit. “There’s another reason we need to not make a big deal out of this.”

“What’s that?” Franky couldn’t think of any.

“I know we haven’t talked about how we’re going to handle some things as she gets older, and now isn’t the time for you and I to talk either, but i think we can both agree that we want her to be able to come to us and talk about, or ask about, anything she wants.” The blonde paused.

“Absolutely.” The younger woman nodded her agreement.

“Someday, she’s going to figure out what’s actually going on in the shower, and I don’t want her to remember us treating it like it was something bad, or wrong, or taboo, or that we wanted to hide. If she thinks that’s our attitude towards sex and intimacy, then she isn’t going to feel comfortable talking to us about it. I know it won’t be an easy conversation, but I’d rather her come to us with her questions than to get her information from the older kids on the playground, or online.” Bridget noticed Franky shift uncomfortably in her seat again.

“I get what you’re saying, but I don’t know how to talk to her about those things.” The brunette never had someone to have those conversations with her as a child, so she had no example to refer to. “I didn’t think that stuff would come up this soon either.”

“We’ll figure it out together. It’s not like we’re going to have to give her the sex talk tomorrow or anything. I’m mostly just talking about making sure that she knows that we have an open, positive attitude towards the subject, and that she can come to us if she has questions.” The blonde felt herself slipping into therapist mode a bit, and she knew that was something she was going to have to be careful to avoid. “I’m sure she’s going to have lots of questions if there’s a new baby at some point.”

“You’re right.” Franky’s eyes were wide. “Can’t we just say the stork is bringing it?” she asked with a chuckle.

Bridget burst out laughing. “Definitely not, baby.” After her laughter died down, she studied the brunette’s face for a moment. “You still doing okay in there?”

“Yeah,” Franky sighed. “Just a little bummed out I won’t be seeing you guys this weekend.”

“Is that for sure? You already know there’s no chance of it?” The blonde had hoped maybe the younger woman was just saying that so Emily wouldn’t be disappointed if she didn’t make it home.

“Yeah, pretty much. Unless there’s a surprise challenge. There’s nothing scheduled that would make it possible right now.” Franky saw the momentary flicker of sadness in Bridget’s eyes, even though the older woman was putting on a brave face. “I’ll do my best to get some extra calls though if we’re not filming.”

Bridget saw the brunette acknowledge someone off camera, and knew that their time together was over for tonight. 

“I have to go, babe. I love you, though, so much.”

“I love you, too.” The blonde gave her a small smile.

They ended their call with their usual goodbye gesture.

Once Franky had gone, Bridget sat and waited for Emily to return so they could spend some time together before the evening was over.

********

The rest of the week passed Franky making her usual evening phone calls. The brunette had told Bridget that they’d had another dinner service where someone from the Blue team had been sent home, so she was safe for a few more days.

There weren’t any surprise challenges, so Franky would be spending the weekend on set. Emily had kept up hope and asked every night if she was coming to visit, but when the brunette had said ‘no’ again on Friday evening, the young girl’s mood had sunk, and stayed there the rest of the evening.

When Bridget woke on Saturday morning, she had to admit that the reality of the situation had set in for her as well, and she was missing her fiancée very much. She wanted to try to convince Emily to do something with her or go somewhere, since it would be a good distraction for both of them.

As she was laying in bed, she heard her niece in the kitchen pouring herself a bowl of cereal. The blonde decided it was time for her to get up as well.

“Good morning, love.” Bridget placed a kiss on top of Emily’s head, then took a seat on one of the other stools at the kitchen island. “I think we should spend the day doing something fun together. Is there anything you’d like?”

Emily shrugged.

“We can go take a walk around one of the ponds at the reserve, maybe have a picnic. Or, we could go see a movie. I think there are some fun ones at the cinema now. Then we can play some games at the arcade after. We could go for ice cream. Maybe Mia and Charlotte would like to come along for that.” The blonde was suggesting anything she could think of that her niece might agree to.

“What if Franky comes back and we’re not here?” The young girl had stopped eating, and looked up at her aunt.

“Love, she’s not coming home this weekend. She wouldn’t have told you she wasn’t if she was. She knows it makes us both sad when she can’t be here, so she wouldn’t lie to us like that.” Bridget could tell that Emily wasn’t convinced. “We can do something here at home instead if you’d feel better about that.” At this point, the blonde just wanted her to do something.

“Okay.” 

“Yeah? You want to do something here?” Bridget was honestly surprised. Emily was usually a bit stubborn once she’d set her mind on something, but her niece nodded her head. “Okay, um, we could make some cookies, or we could build something fun with your lego, or we can have a games day.”

“Games, and then lego.” Emily finished her cereal, and hopped down off the stool. She started into the living room to pick out the games she wanted to play.

“Em, are you forgetting something?” When the blonde got only a blank look from the young girl, she pointed to the empty bowl left on the island.

Emily didn’t say anything. She came back and placed the bowl and spoon into the dishwasher.

“Thank you.” Bridget and Franky started a while ago asking her to help clean up a bit. She did pretty well with it, but sometimes needed a reminder. “If you want, we can run to the corner store really quick sometime this afternoon, and get a special treat to have tonight if we watch a movie.”

“Candy?” Emily asked with a big smile.

“Sure, love, if that’s what you want. You can pick out one thing when we go.” Bridget was glad the young girl was a bit happier now, but she knew she couldn’t bribe her with fun days and treats every time that Franky didn’t get to come home.

********

Bridget felt like the day had gone surprisingly quickly. Franky had been able to call not long after lunch, and the blonde was able to convince Emily to go to the corner store with her right after that. The brunette had said she’d try to call again that evening.

The evening with their treats and the movie had passed by quickly as well, and they did get to speak with Franky once more. This time however, Emily seemed sad afterwards.

“What’s wrong, love?” Bridget asked as her niece climbed into her lap.

“She’s really not coming home this weekend. She said not tomorrow either.” Emily rested her head against the blonde’s shoulder. “Can I sleep in your bed with you tonight?”

“No, it’s the same rules, remember? You need to sleep in your own bed.” Bridget had been firm about this, especially since the first night when the young girl crawled into her bed in the middle of the night despite being told not to. She felt the young girl hold on to her tighter. “Let’s get to bed. I’ll read you a story.”

The blonde stood up, with her niece still in her arms, and carried her to her bedroom. Bridget laid her in bed, and pulled the blanket over her.

“Can you sleep here with me?” Emily reached out for her aunt’s hand.

“No, love. I’ll read you a story, then we each need to sleep in our own beds.” The blonde bent over and placed a kiss on the young girl’s temple.

Emily didn’t say anything more, but Bridget knew that she cried silently the whole way through the story.

“You’ll be okay. I love you.” The blonde gave her another kiss and wiped her cheeks dry before she left. 

“I love you, too.” Emily’s voice was still shaky.

Bridget had a moment of hesitation where she thought that maybe, just for one night, it wouldn’t hurt for the young girl to stay with her. Her voice of reason kicked in though, and told her that Emily would be fine in her own room.

The blonde was tired, so she didn’t stay up long after she’d put her niece to bed. She cleaned up the dishes from their movie night, then headed to her own bedroom. She laid there awake for a while, and just as she felt herself drifting off, she heard the doorknob turn. When she lifted her head, she saw Emily’s silhouette in the doorway.

“Em, you need to go back to bed, love.” Bridget sat up a bit so she could see her better. Emily didn’t move. “Is there something wrong?”

“I miss Franky and I want to sleep with you.” The young girl’s voice gave away that she was still crying.

“I know, but that’s not a reason that you need to sleep in here. We’ll get to talk to her again tomorrow. Go on back to bed for now, okay?” The blonde watched while Emily closed the door. She could hear her footsteps going back to her room.

Bridget laid down again, and this time sleep came quickly. 

The blonde felt herself slowly coming into consciousness. For a moment she didn’t know what had woken her. Everything was quiet, and it was still dark outside. She realized she had to use the washroom, and decided that must have been what had interrupted her sleep.

When she sat up in bed she glanced at the clock and saw that it was only one in the morning. She didn’t bother turning on the light. She knew the bedroom from memory, and there was a small nightlight she’d put in the hall when Emily first came to stay with her so she could find her way to the bathroom at night.

Bridget opened the bedroom door, and barely registered something right outside it on the hall floor, before she stepped out. 

“What the-?” When her eyes focused in the dim light, she saw that it was Emily.

The young girl had brought her blanket and pillow out of her room, and laid in front of Bridget’s door.

The blonde felt the tears in her eyes. She thought how desperate to be near her the young girl must have been to choose sleeping on the hard floor over her own bed, just to be closer to her. Bridget wiped away a tear from her cheek. Emily hadn’t woken up, so she decided to use the bathroom, then deal with her afterwards.

When the blonde finished in the bathroom, she tried to pick Emily up from the floor without waking her. It was an awkward lift though, and the young girl stirred.

“Auntie Bridge?” Emily mumbled.

“Yeah, love, it’s me. I’ve got you,” Bridget said as she carried her into hers and Franky’s bedroom. After seeing her niece sleeping on the floor, she didn’t have the heart to send her back to her room alone again.

The blonde laid the young girl on Franky’s side of the bed, then got back in on her own side. It was only a second before Emily moved in closed to her, and Bridget put her arms around her.

“Thank you,” Emily said quietly.

The blonde’s heart broke. She felt horrible that she’d turned her niece away earlier that night, when all she’d wanted was to be close to someone. Bridget rubbed the young girl’s back, hoping that it would help her fall back to sleep.

“I had a dream that Franky said she was never coming home because she likes it better where she is now.” Emily had her face buried against the blonde’s front, but Bridget could still make out what she was saying.

“That won’t happen. She likes it much better here with us, I promise.” The blonde held her a bit tighter. “Try to go back to sleep.”

“I don’t want to have that dream again.” Emily held on to a handful of Bridget’s t-shirt.

“Just relax. It’ll be alright.” Bridget quietly hummed a tune she was making up as she went along.

She felt Emily start to relax, and she had almost drifted back to sleep herself when the young girl woke with a start. 

“Shh, it’s okay, love.” Bridget tried to sooth her back to sleep before she woke up too much.

“I don’t want to sleep. I’m scared I’ll dream.” Emily was fighting sleep, but her voice gave away how tired she actually was.

This cycle continued on and off all night. The young girl would wake with a start, which in turn woke the blonde as well. Emily would say she was scared to sleep, not realizing that that’s what she’d been doing only moments before, and Bridget would soothe her back to sleep.

It was a long night, and when the blonde finally woke and saw daylight outside, she realized they must have gotten at least a couple of hours sleep.

********

“You look exhausted, babe. Em did too. Is everything alright?” Franky had been allowed a few minutes after lunch to call home and talk to them. She’d already spoken with Emily, who’d now gone to her room to play.

“Yeah, just had a restless night is all.” Bridget didn’t know how many details she was going to give the brunette.

“You or her?” Franky had sensed that they were both a bit off today right when the call started.

“Her.” Bridget sighed. “She asked to sleep in our bed, and I said no. I had to send her back to her room once not long after I went to bed. Then I got up to use the bathroom and she was sleeping on the floor outside the door. So I caved, I brought her in with me. She said ‘thank you’. I felt like such an ass. All she wanted was to be comforted, and I had refused to do it. She said she’d had a bad dream and she was scared to go back to sleep. She fought it most of the night, so neither of us got much sleep.”

The blonde had left out the details of Emily’s dream. She didn’t want the younger woman to feel bad.

“Shit, that sucks. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help out.” This type of stuff was exactly what Franky had been worried about when she found out she wouldn’t be able to stay with them.

Bridget shook her head. “It’s just one of those things kids go through once in a while.”

“I have to go, babe I’m sorry. I’ll try to call and check on you guys later on. See if you can get her to take a nap.” The brunette knew that her fiancée didn’t need her advice, but she wanted to feel like she was contributing something.

They said their goodbyes, and Bridget sat looking at the now-blank screen. Two weeks down, four or five more to go.


	62. Chapter 62

“Hey, Franks, did you look at the schedule for tomorrow?” Shayne asked as he sat down with a bowl of cereal at the outdoor table with the brunette.

“Briefly. I know there’s a lunch and supper service. That’ll be a bitch.” Franky usually tried not to be so negative in there, but it was early, and she hadn’t slept well. She knew that Bridget and Emily had had a rough night on Saturday, and she had laid awake wondering how things were going for them last night.

“Yeah, but look at the lunch service.” He handed her his copy of the schedule.

“Children’s lunch service.” The brunette read from the page. “The food may be simple, and the diners young, but the standards are still high. Teams will compete to serve a dining room filled with children ages five to eight. The team who gets the highest rating from the diners will be the winners, but beware, even the young can have strong opinions about their food.” 

It took Franky a second to realize why Shayne had brought up the lunch service. When it clicked, she looked over to see him smiling at her.

“You’re brilliant, mate! I need to go see if Jillian is around yet.” The brunette gave him back his paper, and headed inside.

“Sure, not like I came out here to have breakfast with you or anything.” He laughed as Franky reached behind herself and gave him the finger.

“Hey, is Jillian here yet? I need to talk to her,” the brunette asked the assistant director.

“Yep, come with me.” The AD led her away from the main living area, down a hallway to the side.

********

“What’s up with that anyway?” A sound guy approached one of the cameramen.

“What do you mean?” The cameraman was busy fine tuning some settings on his camera.

“That’s the second time she’s asked for Jillian and gets taken to see her, no questions asked. I’ve seen them talking off to the side lots of times, too.” The sound guy knew that no other contestant on any show he’d worked on had ever received that kind of special treatment.

The cameraman looked around this time before he spoke, but he failed to notice Hank, who was returning from the interview room, just out of sight but well within earshot. “Between you and me, I was talking to a buddy of mine who works for another network. He said that she did a show like this before. Ended up going all psycho on the host before they finished filming. Beat the shit out of him, and they had to shut the whole thing down. My guess is they’re trying to keep her nice and calm this time. I heard she got to go home to her girlfriend when she won the first challenge instead of going to the hotel, too.”

“Damn. Don’t piss her off then.” The sound guy laughed and shook his head as he walked away.

********

“Jillian, I’ve got Franky here to see you.” The door to the producer’s office was open, so the AD left the brunette there and headed back to set.

“Yep, come in.” Jillian closed the file that was laying on her desk. “What’s up?”

“The kids lunch service tomorrow, is there any way Em could come to that if Bridget agrees?” The brunette knew she was asking a lot, and she didn’t even know yet if Bridget would allow it.

“You’re aware this means she will be on camera, and they might ask her questions about if she likes the food or which dish is her favorite.” She wanted to make sure that Franky understood exactly what this would involve since she had initially wanted to keep her family out of it. 

“I think that would be okay. The other contestants won’t realize who she is.” When Jillian didn’t reply right away, Franky got nervous.

“Fine, but she’ll have to pretend like she doesn’t know you when there are people around. No waving, no saying hi, no running up and getting a hug. Nothing.” The producer could see this going all kinds of wrong, but she knew the brunette wouldn’t be getting to go home for a while.

“Yes, for sure, that’s fine. I’ll talk to her, I’ll get Bridget to talk to her. Thank you!” For a moment, the brunette had really thought it wasn’t going to work.

“I’ll make contact with Bridget since I’ll need to send her some papers to sign, and we’ll go from there.” Jillian gave her a smile.

“Again, thank you.” Franky wasn’t sure if she should shake her hand or what, so she ended up just turning and leaving.

********

“Hello?” Bridget had seen Jillian’s number come up on her phone, and her stomach instantly did a somersault. Her first thought was that something had happened to Franky.

“Hi, is this Bridget Westfall?” the producer asked.

“Yes, it is. Is Franky okay?” The blonde couldn’t help herself even though the other woman’s voice showed no sign of anything being wrong.

“Yes, she’s fine. I’m actually calling to ask if you would allow Emily to be a part of the lunch service we’re filming tomorrow.” Jillian felt bad now having called Bridget in the middle of the morning, knowing she’d be at work. Of course the blonde was going to think there was something wrong.

“A lunch service? You mean like she’d be on the show?” Bridget wondered if Franky was okay with this.

“Yes, we’re doing a lunch service for ages five to eight, and Franky asked if it would be possible to include Emily. She'd be filmed while she was in the dining room eating, and she may be asked something like which dish she liked best. There’d be nothing that would indicate a connection to Franky.” Jillian waited for an answer. The few seconds of silence made her think that the blonde wasn’t going to allow it.

“You’re sure Franky is okay with it?” Bridget needed to know for sure before she gave her response.

“Yes, she came to me and asked if it would be possible. The only catch is that neither of you would be able to interact with her at all during the service or while there are any other contestants or diners around. I’m prepared to give the three of you some time alone in one of the green rooms afterwards though.” Jillian thought that would be a nice gesture even though the brunette hadn’t asked for it.

“Um, yeah, I’m fine with it. I think Em would really enjoy it.” The blonde knew that ‘enjoy’ would be an understatement.

“Great! I’ll send over some paperwork that you’ll need to sign and send back, along with the details for tomorrow like what time you’ll have to be here and all that.” The producer was getting the email ready as they were talking. With just over twenty-four hours until the taping, she knew they had to get things moving.

Bridget confirmed she had received the email before they ended their call. The next step after that was clearing it with Vera; she’d need at least part of the day off, and she had to let Emily’s school know that she’d be missing some time.

********

“Okay, listen up!” Jared stood in front of the remaining contestants; five on the Red team and four on the Blue team. “Tomorrow we’re doing two services. The first one is a lunch service. You’ll be serving kids between the ages of five and eight. It’s a tough age group. Some are picky eaters, some aren’t, and trust me it changes from day to day.” The chef got a chuckle from the contestants. “So it’s going to be a combination challenge and service. Each team will come up with their own menu, and at the end of the service, each of the kids will rate their food on a scale of one to ten. The team with the highest rating wins. The losing team is cleaning then prepping both kitchens for the supper service. You have until five this afternoon to decide on your menu. Go!”

When they returned to the dorms, the Red team headed out to the patio area while the Blue team claimed the living room.

When they got outside and seated, Franky realized that no one had picked up the pad of paper and pen that had been left there for them. Without a word, Shayne picked them up and sat them in her lap.

“Thanks.” She gave him a sideways glance. “Okay, so anyone have any ideas they’d like to put out there?”

“We need appetizers, mains, and desserts,” Catherine said quietly from her spot across from the brunette.

“No shit, Sherlock.” Hank mumbled, then laughed to himself.

“Hank, if you don’t have anything useful to contribute then just shut up. We don’t have time for bullshit right now.” Franky never looked up from the paper in front of her where she was writing the three headings, but she was sure Hank gave her a dirty look or the finger, even though he didn’t say anything.

“So kids like simple, familiar stuff, and we should probably stay away from anything too spicy.” Shayne was more thinking out loud than addressing the group, but he was on the right track.

“For an appetizer we could do a kid’s version of a charcuterie board. Some veggies, artisan bread, and crackers with hummus, dip, and cheese. We could throw a mild pepperoni or smoked sausage in there too. The dip and hummus would have to be something we made from scratch, I think.” Catherine usually didn’t say much, but she was excited to share her idea.

“That could work,” the brunette said as she wrote it on the paper. “We could probably make the bread, too if they let us in there to do some prep this evening, or early in the morning. We wouldn’t need a lot.” 

“I’m not spending my night in there prepping.” Hank folded his arms over his chest.

“Cool, so if we lose, you won’t have to ask why we nominated you, right?” Shayne threw back at him.

“What do you think about mini taco cups? We could make a light pastry, then put the meat and toppings inside.” Franky was trying to think of things that she had made with her children’s classes.

“Those would be good. Quick too. Put them on the list.” Shayne pointed to the paper.

“Grilled cheese fingers.” Hank spoke up, and everyone turned to look at him, surprised. “You cut the sandwich into strips and serve it with a little dish of tomato soup to dip it in. We could use a nice smoked gouda for the cheese, and make the soup from scratch.” He was self-conscious that everyone was watching him, but not saying anything. “My little cousin likes when I make those for her.”

“Sounds like something they’d enjoy. So that makes three apps. Now we can move on to the mains.” Franky added Hank’s dish to their sheet.

“Buttermilk marinated chicken tenders with seasoned potato wedges.” Catherine added another idea.

“Nice. We could do a cheeseburger sliders platter. Different kinds of cheese in each slider.” Franky knew those were always a hit with Emily.

“We should do some mains without meat, too. Some kids won’t eat it, or they’re too picky about it to order it at a restaurant.” Shayne didn’t want to get a bad score from any kids just because there was nothing on the menu they would try. “We could do a classic homemade mac and cheese, and maybe a nice margherita pizza. Handmade crust, our own sauce, and nice, fresh mozzarella cheese.”

“This is making me hungry.” The brunette wasn’t lying. She felt like she could probably eat everything on the menu so far at once. “ And yeah, those sound good. I made the margherita pizza with one of my classes once, and they loved it. Desserts?”

“An ice cream sandwich made with chocolate chip cookies.” Hank offered his second suggestion of the day.

“Delicious. A fruit kebab? We could serve it drizzled in chocolate with fresh whipped cream.” The brunette suggested this because it was another favorite of Emily’s.

Everyone nodded their agreement.

“Guys, this may seem like a simple menu, but there’s a lot to do. The chicken needs to be marinated. There’s cheese to slice for the grilled cheese and the charcuterie boards. The veggies and fruits all need to be sliced, and the kebabs need to be put together. Plus, we’re making soup, hummus, and two different sauces. We’ll need everyone fully on board.” Franky looked at the whole group, but she was waiting for Hank’s response in particular.

“Yeah I’m in,” he agreed after a few seconds.

“Alright, let’s see if we can get into the kitchen.” The brunette gathered her papers, and they all headed inside to find a crew member who could let them into the other part of the set.

********

_To: Franky_  
I didn’t tell Em about the lunch service tomorrow. I’ll let you do that when you call tonight  
so you can see how happy she’ll be. Xo

Bridget had decided that she’d let Franky tell Emily that her plan had worked out, and she’d be allowed to attend the lunch service. The blonde had to admit that she was excited as well. She’d watched the first episode with the brunette, and visited the set, but she wanted to see everything in action.

Right after Jillian called, Bridget had gone to speak with Vera. The governor agreed to let her have the day off. The blonde knew that had her boss not also been a good friend, she probably wouldn’t have been allowed the time off on such short notice, so she was grateful to Vera.

Emily’s teacher Ms, Williams had been supportive of the idea of the young girl visiting with Franky. Bridget hadn’t gone into details, and only told her that the brunette was away for work, but they would be able to spend some time with her tomorrow. The teacher said she had noticed that Emily had been a bit more quiet lately, and agreed that the visit might cheer her up.

When Bridget’s phone rang that night, she let Emily answer it. She was eager for Franky to tell Emily about the lunch.

“Franky!” The young girl bounced in her seat with excitement.

“Hey, bub.” The brunette had a huge grin on her face. “How are you feeling today?” She didn’t want to ask Emily outright if she’d slept better since Bridget had told her that after she’d sent her niece away.

“Good, I like when you call.” 

“That’s good, I like when I call, too.” Franky gave a small laugh. “So, me and Auntie have a surprise we wanted to tell you about when I called tonight. How would you like to come and have lunch here on the set?”

“With you?” The young girl’s voice was raised with excitement.

“Not with me, but you’ll get to eat in the restaurant while I cook with my team.” The brunette knew it wasn’t the answer that Emily wanted, but it was the best she could do. “I’ll get to see you for a few minutes, too.”

“I can have a hug?” Emily’s excitement had returned.

“Yeah of course you can! Is Auntie not giving you hugs?” Franky asked with mock seriousness. She knew there was no way that was true.

“Yeah, she does.” The young girl giggled.

“Good! Get lots of rest tonight too. You’ll need it because tomorrow will be a big day.” This was the brunette’s way of trying to make sure they both got some sleep.

“Why is your jacket different?” Emily leaned in closer to the screen as if that would help her find the answer to her question. “It’s got red.”

“I’m on the Red team. Everyone on my team has a jacket like this. The other team wears blue.” Franky just realized this was the first time she’d called them while she was wearing her chef’s uniform. She and the rest of the team had spent most of the day in the kitchen after they’d completed their menus, and she was going back to continue working after the call was over.

“It’s pretty,” Emily said with a nod. “I like red better than blue.” 

“Ah, good! So you’re going to cheer for us tomorrow, yeah?” The brunette laughed as she saw the young girl give an enthusiastic nod. “Good. Listen though, bub. We need to talk about something serious for a second. I asked the person in charge if it was okay for you to come to the lunch, and she said yes. The other contestants aren’t going to have their kids there though. I don’t want them to be sad and miss their family if they see you, and me, and Auntie together. So, you can have a hug like I promised, but it can’t be until the person in charge says it’s okay after the other people have left, and you can’t tell anyone else that you know me.”

“It’s a secret?” the young girl asked, slightly confused.

“Yeah, it’s like a secret. The same as when we had a surprise party for Auntie, and when we went and bought her ring. Can you promise me you won’t tell anyone anything, and that you’ll wait to get your hug?” Franky knew this had a high chance of all falling apart if the young girl’s excitement took over in the moment.

“I promise.” Emily gave the brunette a serious look.

“Good.” Franky gave her a smile. “I love you, and I can't wait to see you tomorrow.”

“I love you, too.”

“Em, love.” Bridget tapped her niece on the arm.

“I know, I have to go play now while you talk to Franky.” Emily hopped down off the couch, and headed to her room.

“You know, Gidge, I’m surprised she actually leaves and lets us talk.” Franky had assumed that when she was away, it would be next to impossible to get time alone to talk with her fiancée.

“Me too. I just explained it like she has her time to talk to you, then I get mine, and she’s just accepted that.” The blonde shrugged.

“Are you excited about tomorrow?” The younger woman gave her a cheeky smile.

“Mhm, too bad we can’t sneak off into a dark room somewhere for a few minutes.” Bridget’s mind had played out all kinds of scenarios over the past few hours. She stood from the couch and walked out onto the patio, checking on her way to make sure Emily was still in her room.

“Gidge! Were you always this horny? How did you manage when you were single?” Franky enjoyed giving the blonde a hard time once in a while.

“Let’s just say that since we’ve been together I’ve gotten used to certain things, and I’m missing those things right now.” Bridget could tell that her cheeks were turning a bit red when she saw the brunette’s cocky grin.

“I miss those things, too, babe. I miss everything.” Franky winked at her. 

“Maybe I’ll send you another video at some point.” The blonde had been surprised at how not self-conscious she’d been when she made the first one. 

“That was really hot. I really hope the others were as asleep as I thought they were when I went to bed that night.” The brunette let out a small, nervous laugh.

“Baby! You didn’t!” Bridget’s mouth hung open. “There are cameras in there even if everyone was asleep!”

“I was under the blanket.” Franky knew that anyone watching could probably figure out what she was doing anyway. 

“I wonder how much Jillian would charge me for a copy of it.” It was the blonde’s turn to tease the younger woman.

“You don’t need a copy. I’ll let you watch in person sometime.” The brunette glanced up from her phone. “Shit, I have to go again in a minute.”

“It’s okay. We’ll get to see you tomorrow, and spend a bit of time with you after lunch.” Bridget hadn’t told Emily that part either.

“What do you mean?” Franky asked. As far as she knew, they were only there for lunch.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything, but Jillian said we could have some time together after the service.” The blonde had assumed it was something the other woman had asked for as well.

“I didn’t know she was going to let us do that.” At that moment, a thought crossed Franky’s mind. “The losing team has to clean and prep both kitchens for supper. Fuck. Hank had better not fuck this up tomorrow or I’ll kill him with my bare hands. We’ve got a good menu, we could win no problem.”

“Please don’t. I can’t have you in Wentworth again.” Bridget saw the brunette crack a small smile. 

“I won’t, Gidge. I love you and I’ll see you tomorrow.” Franky kissed her fingers and held them up.

“I love you, too.” The blonde did the same.

********

“Alright guys, how’s everyone doing with their prep?” The brunette had stopped fighting the leadership role, and she wanted everything to be perfect today. “Remember, don’t be surprised if we get special requests. LIke they want the fruit kebab but without the banana.”

“Do we take special requests?” Hank inquired from the back where he was assembling the kebabs.

“Sure we do, if it’s possible. They’re kids.” Franky had never worked in a restaurant that didn’t try to accommodate their guests so she wasn’t sure why he was asking. “So everyone make sure you have a little bit extra ready in case.”

The lunch service started at noon, and the first guests started arriving shortly after eleven. The brunette tried to watch the door without being too obvious, so she’d see when Bridget and Emily arrived. It wasn’t long before she saw them walk in. She smiled. The blonde always did like to be early for things.

“Which one is yours?” Shayne asked quietly. They were at the front of the kitchen while the others were still working at the back.

“The blonde who’s facing us at table five.” The brunette didn’t dare look over at her again.

“She’s adorable, Franks.” The young man said with a smile, and continued with his work. “Hey, we’ve got this pretty much ready now, you should see if you can go find your girl.”

“I can’t just leave the kitchen.” Franky glanced back at the others to make sure they still weren’t paying attention to her and Shayne.

“Sure you can. I’ll cover for you, say you went to get something for a headache or whatever. It’ll be fine.” He gave her a reassuring nod.

The brunette seriously considered it for a moment.

“I can’t.” She sighed and shook her head. “I appreciate the offer, but I can’t risk fucking it up. If I did she’d probably kill me anyway.” 

“She’s that tough on you?” Shayne asked with a laugh.

“No, she’s perfect.” Franky smiled to herself. “She just knows it took a lot for me to get to where I am now, and she’s been really supportive.”

“Fair enough. Let’s win this thing then so we’re not stuck in here all afternoon.” He gave her a playful nudge with his elbow before he carried the containers of sliced vegetables over to the ice bath.

They had just put the finishing touches on everything when Jared arrived.

“Okay! First off, I’d like to say that both menus look really good. I think the kids will love them. Second, remember it’s kids out there, yeah? So I don’t want to see any petty BS, alright? Right then, let’s go!” The chef turned, and sent the wait staff off to get the first orders.

“Red team, first order, table three, four covers. One charcuterie board, one taco cups, and two grilled cheese fingers.” Jared called out the order then hung the ticket up. “Okay, next we have table five, four covers again. One charcuterie board, two taco cups, one grilled cheese.”

They all worked to get off to a strong start. They were mid-way through the apps when Franky saw one of the waiters returning to the kitchen with a charcuterie board.

“Shit,” the brunette mumbled under her breath. She watched while the waiter talked to Jared.

“Okay.” The chef turned and placed the board on the end of the counter. They complained because the hummus and dip are touching the vegetables.”

“There’s nothing wrong with it.” Hank had been making the boards. “Tell them to suck it up.”

“Is that what you want to tell them?” Jared waited for Hank’s response, which never came.

Franky quickly went into the back room and grabbed the pan filled with small sauce dishes. She went back to the kitchen and set them on the end of the main counter.

“From now on, serve any sauces or dips in these.” She began to unpack them and deliver stacks to each station. “And when we do the mains, make sure the foods don’t touch each other on the plates.” 

“That’s ridiculous, and extra work.” Hank shook his head as he made a new board to replace the one that had been sent back.

“Hank, there are two types of kids when it comes to this: ones who don’t care, and ones who hate when their food touches. So plate everything like they care. It only takes a second or two extra now, but if it gets sent back then we have to start over on that order again.” Franky set down a stack of dishes for him. “So just do it.”

“Good thinking, Franky. Let’s keep going.” Jared turned around to send the next batch of food.

They finished the rest of the appetizers with no more issues, and moved on to the main courses. 

“Table five. Two sliders, one chicken, one mac and cheese.” The chef called out the order for Emily’s table.

“Eight minutes for the sliders,” Franky called out.

The brunette glanced up and noticed that Bridget was sitting off to the side of the restaurant. She was the only parent there, and there was a small table with a glass of something sitting beside her chair.

“Is that your girl?” Shayne asked quietly, as he came to stand beside Franky.

“Yeah. How did you know?” The brunette shifted her attention back to her work, not wanting to draw attention to herself.

“She looks just like the kid.” He watched Franky work for a few seconds. “And I saw how you were looking at her. Why is she sitting out here instead of going with the other parents?”

“Maybe she doesn’t trust Em not to try to come see me. I’d imagine she was pretty excited today.” The brunette glanced up at Bridget again. “Aren’t they getting lunch as well?” Franky had overheard the caterers that fed the crew earlier saying they were making lunch today for the parents.

“I thought so, yeah. Maybe they don’t realize she’s out here.” Shayne looked again at Franky, then the blonde.

“I wish I could send something over to her.” She felt bad. She knew they had gotten there early, and definitely wouldn’t have already eaten. 

“I’ll send it over.” He knew that the brunette couldn’t make it look like she knew Bridget, so he offered to make it look like he was sending it to her.

“Are you sure?” Franky didn’t want him to get in trouble.

“Yeah, I’ll even cook it if you want. What would she like?” Shayne was willing to let her be completely hands off if she wanted.

“She’d like any of this. You’re doing the chicken though so let’s stick with that. Can you do a side of the wedges for her too?” the brunette asked as she grabbed another pan, and sat three burger patties into it for her next order.

“I’m on it.” He reached for a serving of the potato wedges.

Shayne finished the extra order, then walked up to the front. Jared was busy sending out food from the other kitchen. He saw one of the waiters standing at the front, looking out over the dining room, waiting to be given food to deliver.

“Hey, excuse me.” He waited until the guy turned around. “Can you take this to the woman sitting off to the side there?” He nodded in Bridget’s direction. “And ask what she’d like for dessert later. Thanks.”

Bridget saw a waiter walking towards her with a plate of food. He moved her drink to the side, and sat it down on the small table beside her. 

“Um, sorry, I didn’t order anything.” The blonde thought he must have misunderstood which table he was supposed to deliver it to.

“No, ma’am, but the chef has sent it to you.” The waiter stepped to the side and indicated the young man in the Red team’s kitchen, who gave a small wave.

“Oh, well, tell him I said thank you.” Bridget recognized Shayne from when she and Franky had watched the first episode together, and returned his wave.

“He would also like to know which of the desserts you would like. We have a chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich, and a fruit kebab drizzled with chocolate and served with fresh whipped cream.” He waited while the blonde thought about her answer.

“The ice cream sandwich would be lovely, thanks.” Bridget gave the waiter a small smile before he turned and went back to the kitchen.

Shayne returned to his station after the waiter took the plate. He watched while it was delivered and the blonde questioned where it came from. He pointed back towards the kitchen, and Shayne gave a small wave.

“Why are you sending out food no one ordered?” Hank asked, trying to draw attention to them, but no one could be bothered.

“Just doing something nice.” Shayne never stopped working, and never looked up.

“Something nice? Yeah, right. You trying to hit on her or something?” Hank laughed.

“Look, she’s obviously here with one of the kids, and they didn’t give her any food, so I thought I’d be nice and send some over. Just fuck off and go back to your station.” He stepped to the side to grab another pan to start his next order, and bumped into Hank, causing him to take a stumbling step backwards.

“I think you were trying to hit on her, and now that I’ve called you out, you’re embarrassed. I don’t blame you for that, she’s old enough to be your mother, mate.” He looked around to see if anyone was looking at them yet.

“I’m not your fucking mate,” Shayne spat out.

Franky hadn’t been planning on stepping in, but enough was enough.

“Hey! Hank! Go back to your station and shut the fuck up.” The brunette hoped she’d kept her voice low enough that the kids hadn’t heard anything.

“Maybe you’d like to have a go at her instead,” Hank said just loud enough that only Franky heard him as he walked by.

It took every ounce of self-control the brunette possessed to not turn around at that moment, and put her fist squarely in the middle of his face. She took a deep breath, and reminded herself what was at stake, and that he wasn’t worth it.

“Alright that was the last table of main courses, let’s finish strong with the desserts,” Jared shouted into the Red kitchen. He walked across to the other kitchen. “Blue team! You’re falling behind. Let’s go!”

Shayne caught the eye of the waiter he had talked to earlier, who discreetly made the shape of a circle with his hands, indicating that Bridget wanted the ice cream sandwich for dessert.

“This one’s for your girl,” Shayne told the brunette as he rolled the edge of the sandwich in sprinkles, creating a rainbow-coloured coating over the exposed ice cream.

“Yeah, she loves ice cream.” Franky’s mind flashed to the night after she had talked to Emily about her plan to propose, and she had come into the kitchen to find Bridget sitting on the counter eating the ice cream they had brought home for her.

He quickly finished the dessert, and took it up front to the waiter when Jared was busy in the other kitchen.

“Joseph! Give me your jacket!” The chef’s voice carried over from the Blue team’s kitchen. “Give me your jacket, and get out. You’re done! Go pack your bags!”

Franky looked at Shayne with wide eyes and mouthed ‘oh shit’.

The Red kitchen was silent as they waited to see if they’d hear any more, but when Jared returned to their kitchen, he was calm again.

“Very nice, Red team. That was the last table. Shut it down, and go back to the dorms to wait for the results.” The chef placed the last order on the tray for the waitress to serve.

Franky and the others returned to the living room, and took spots on the various chairs and couches. It wasn’t long before the members of the Blue team joined them.

‘So what the fuck did Joseph do?” Shayne asked what they were all wondering.

“We had spaghetti and meatballs on our menu.” Lucas began to tell the story. “He takes up the dish and the spaghetti is undercooked, and the meatballs are still raw in the middle. So Chef throws it out and tells him to start over. Just a minute, maybe two later he brings the dish up again, and it’s fully cooked. Chef asks how he did that because there were no other orders for it at the time, so it wasn’t like he could just grab one of those. When he looks in the garbage bin, the food he’d thrown out wasn’t there anymore. Joseph had taken it out of the trash, put it all back on the stove and kept cooking it.”

“Wow.” The brunette didn’t know what else to say.

After about a half hour, they were called back to the main dining room. The kids had all left.

“I won’t take long with this since one team has a lot of work ahead of them this afternoon.” Jared stood in front of them holding two cards. “We asked each child to rate the food on a scale of one to ten, based on how well they liked it. Simple, yeah? These cards hold the average score for each team. The losing team will be cleaning both kitchens and prepping both for service again tonight. So here we go.” He opened the blue envelope. “Blue team, your average score is eight point five out of ten.” He opened the red envelope next. “Red team, your average score is nine point two out of ten. Blue team, I’d get started if I were you. Congratulations Red team. Now, I know I didn’t mention what the reward for the winning team would be, so here it is: you’ll be spending the afternoon cruising the harbour on a luxury yacht. So hurry up and go get changed. Your limo is waiting outside.” He headed off set, and the teams went their separate ways.

As she walked back to the dorms, Franky caught Jillian out of the corner of her eye, trying to get her attention. She glanced around to make sure the others weren’t nearby, then went over to speak to the producer.

“I’ll make this quick. If you want to spend the afternoon with your family instead, then go come up with an excuse why you’re not going on the cruise, and meet me back here, ASAP.” Jillian nodded in the direction of the dorms, urging the brunette to hurry up.

Franky walked back to the dorm, but instead of getting ready to leave with the others, she just let herself fall onto the couch.

“Franks! Come on, we gotta go!” Shayne had already changed his clothes, and was headed to the door.

“Nah, I’m going to sit this one out. I don’t do so well with boats.” She stretched her arms back behind her head to work out the tension from the lunch service.

“You sure? It sounds like fun.” He had walked over closer to her so the others couldn’t hear. “Are they?” Shayne nodded in the direction of the kitchen set.

“Yep,” Franky said with a huge smile on her face.

“In that case, have fun.” He gave her a fist bump and hurried off with the others to their waiting car.

As soon as they’d left, she went back and met up with Jillian again. The producer led her down a series of hallways. The brunette had never been in this area before, and figured it was off limits to them normally.

“I’ll leave you here. You’ll probably have at least three to four hours before I’ll have to come get you,” Jilllian said as she opened the door.

“Franky!” Emily ran towards the brunette.

Franky knelt on one knee, and caught the young girl, wrapping her arms around her tightly.

“I missed you, bub.” She could feel Emily holding on to the back of her jacket.

“I missed you, too.” The young girl’s voice was muffled because she had her face buried snugly against Franky’s shoulder.

The brunette knew that Emily probably would stay like that forever if she let her, but she knew Bridget was patiently waiting to greet her as well. 

“Okay, I’m going to say hi to Auntie, then we can all spend some time together, and you guys can tell me what you’ve been up to. Sound good?” Franky felt the young girl nod, and loosen her arms.

“Gidge.” Franky stood, and barely got the word out of her mouth before the blonde’s lips were on hers.

It was a hard, passionate kiss at first, then slowed into a soft, lingering one. They were pulled out of their little world when Emily giggled.

“What are you laughing at?” The brunette reached down and ruffled the young girl’s hair.

“That’s gross.” Emily giggled again.

“Ah, love, someday you’ll find someone you’ll want to kiss like that, then it won’t be gross.” Bridget smiled when her niece wrinkled up her face like she didn’t believe her. “Let’s sit on the couch and have a chat, yeah?” 

Franky was impressed at how nice the room was. There was a living room area with a large couch and two armchairs. Off to one side there was a small kitchenette with some snacks and drinks, and a small washroom. She thought maybe this was a room that a crew member would use if they had to stay there overnight occasionally. There was even a small tv, and a selection of books for entertainment.

The brunette sat down, and Emily was immediately on her lap. Bridget sat beside her, and leaned against her side. Franky smiled, remembering how she had teased the blonde one time that she and Emily were alike in a lot of ways, one of them being that they both liked to cuddle and be near someone.

“Did you like your lunch, bub? What did you order?” The brunette hadn’t had time to pay much attention to what was going on in the dining room.

“I had the grilled cheese, the burgers, and the fruit stick thing. They were really good.” The young girl settled in closer against Franky, and the brunette absentmindedly rubbed her back.

“That’s awesome! We got to choose our own menus, and I put the burgers and fruit kebab on there because I knew you liked them.” The brunette gave her a kiss on the top of her head. “How about you, Gidge?”

“It was delicious, baby. The waiter said the young guy sent it.” Bridget had assumed the waiter had made a mistake until Shayne had waived at her.

“I had pointed out Em earlier, and when he saw you, he asked if you were my fiancée because you and she look so much alike. I wanted to send food, but I knew Jillian would be upset if I did anything while everyone was there, so he said he’d make you something and send it out.” Franky was proud at how he’d handled Hank’s comments as well, considering last time he’d tried to have a go at him for less.

“He seems like a nice guy.” The blonde reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind Franky’s ear.

They sat and talked about some things Emily had been learning about in school, and Bridget filled her in on some things that had been going on with work.

“I’m going to make a coffee. Do you want one, baby?” Bridget asked as she stood from the couch. 

“Yeah, thanks. Do you want something to drink, Em?” Franky got no response from the girl on her lap. “Is she asleep, Gidge?” she asked quietly.

The blonde bent slightly so she could see Emily’s face better. “I think so.”

Bridget made the coffee as quietly as she could, then carried the two mugs back to the couch with her. 

“She must have been really tired. Big day, I guess.” Franky took a sip of her coffee. She studied Bridget’s face. “Babe, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t think she’s been sleeping well.” The blonde sighed. She hadn’t wanted to tell Franky this. “She only wanted to come in with me that one night, but quite a few mornings, when I’ve gone in to wake her, there will be toys on the floor that weren’t there when I put her to bed, stuff like that. She’s seemed a bit more tired lately too. She always just wants a cuddle in the evening, and usually gets close to falling asleep on me before I put her to bed.”

“Do you think it’s stress?” Franky kept her voice low.

“Maybe. Or it could be just a phase.” In all honesty, Bridget thought it was mostly likely caused by the stress of not having Franky around, but she didn’t want to say that to the brunette.

Just then, Emily jumped a bit in Franky’s arms, and startled the brunette. The young girl opened her eyes enough to see that the two women were still there with her, then closed them and went back to sleep.

“That’s what she did the night she slept in the bed with me,” the blonde whispered. “Hey, it’ll be okay, alright?” She reached up and wiped a tear from Franky’s cheek. “I think I’m going to make an appointment for her to see Brad.”

“Hopefully he can help her.” The brunette leaned into Bridget’s touch as she wiped another tear from the younger woman’s cheek. “I miss you guys so much.”

“I know you do, baby. We miss you, too.” The blonde stretched over, and gave her fiancée a soft kiss. “Let’s not make this visit sad, okay? You and I can have a little chat while she sleeps. We should wake her up after a bit though or she’ll be sad she slept through all her time with you.”

“Yeah, give her a half hour, then maybe she’ll feel up to hanging out.” Franky would have gladly just held her for the whole time, but she knew Bridget was right. “I can feel you watching me, Gidge,” the brunette said with a smile on her face. “What are you thinking about?”

“Lots of stuff.” Bridget gave her a cheeky smile.

“Like?” Franky raised an eyebrow.

“You want a full list?” The blonde watched as the younger woman nodded. “I’m glad Em is content. I miss you. I can’t wait until you get to come home again. You look hot. I want to get married like, yesterday. I love you, and you’re going to make a really good mother.”

“You’re thinking all that right now?” The brunette could feel herself blushing.

“Yeah.” Bridget took a hold of her free hand.

“We can get married whenever you want once I’m done this.” Franky brought their hands to her lips, and kissed the blonde’s fingers.

“I’ll be waiting at the altar when you get home.” Bridget was joking of course, but the idea of it didn’t scare her at all.

Franky laughed. “You’ll be a really good mum, too, Gidge.”

“Sometimes I question that.” The blonde saw a look of confusion flash on the younger woman’s face. “I’m definitely excited about it, but like right now, with her, I question if I’m doing the right things. I know she’s not supposed to sleep in our bed, but that night, I didn’t care. Even now, sometimes I catch myself thinking if she just stayed in there with me while you were gone, then maybe she’d sleep better.”

“Gidge.” The brunette lowered her voice so as not to wake Emily. “You do what you feel is right. I know what the psych said, but if you’re both hurting over it, then I think it’s doing more harm than good. I understand why we had to be firm when she first came to us, because nothing was going to change that situation to make it better. Her parents weren’t ever coming back. If what’s happening now is because I’m not around, then let her sleep with you if that’s what you both want. I’ll be back, then things can go back to normal. Just make it clear that staying with you only happens until I’m back.”

“Thank you.” Bridget let out a long breath. Franky had no idea how much better she’d made her feel. “We should wake her now.”

The brunette wrapped both arms around the young girl in case she startled her when she woke her up.

“Em. Time to wake up, bub.” Franky brushed her cheek lightly with her fingers until she saw her eyes start to open. “Hey, sleepyhead.” She smiled when the young girl giggled at the funny nickname. “We didn’t think you’d want to sleep through the whole visit.”

“I brought something for us.” The blonde reached into her bag and pulled out one of her niece’s card games. “I thought you might like for us to play this.”

Emily nodded. “I have to pee first.”

Bridget gave a small laugh. “The bathroom is over there, love.” She pointed to the other side of the room.

Franky stood and stretched after the young girl got off her lap. She felt the blonde’s arms around her. She placed a hand on each of Bridget’s hips, and pulled her closer, running her thumbs over the older woman’s hip bones. 

“Don’t start something we can’t finish, baby,” Bridget whispered as she connected their lips.

Franky kissed her slow, and hard. It reminded the blonde of their first one, as she pushed her body against the other woman.

“You feel good,” the brunette said quietly, as she reluctantly broke their kiss.

The toilet flushed, and indicated the end of their alone time together. They each took a seat at the table, and Franky began to shuffle the cards.

They spent the rest of the afternoon together playing games, and talking. Emily told the brunette what she was learning in school, and some of the things that Liz had shown her at the Centre.

When it was time for them to leave, and Jillian knocked on the door, Franky was worried that the young girl would have a hard time saying goodbye. They’d had almost four hours together though, so she hoped that would be enough so that she wouldn’t be too upset at this moment. Bridget answered the door.

“Hey, time to go back to set, Franky,” Jillian said quietly from the doorway.

“Are you coming home this weekend?” Emily asked quietly.

“I don’t know yet, bub. I promise I’ll tell you as soon as I know for sure, okay?” The brunette wiped a tear from the young girl’s face. “Remember to be brave for me, and look after Auntie.”

“I miss you reading me stories at bedtime.” Emily was quickly getting emotional.

“I know, and I miss that, too. We’ve got a whole stack of books for me to read to you when I get home. Auntie reads good stories, too. I bet you could get an extra one out of her tonight if you ask nicely.” Franky gave her a wink. 

She saw Emily touch the red bandana she’d been given as part of her uniform. Some of the others wore them on their head like they were meant to be worn, but she had just wrapped hers around her wrist a couple times and tied it. She remembered something she and Bridget did during her time in Wentworth.

“Here.” The brunette started to untie the knot. “You can have this, and when you miss me, you can hang onto it.” She handed the bandana to the young girl.

“Can I put it on my teddy bear you gave me?” the young girl asked.

“Sure! That sounds like a really good idea. You can show me the next time I call.” Franky gave her a smile. “I have to go now, okay? I love you very much.” She hugged Emily and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“I love you, too.” The young girl returned the kiss on the cheek. 

Franky stood. She put her arms around Bridget. “I love you very much, too. Remember, do what this thinks is best.” The brunette tapped on the middle of the older woman’s chest. “I’m okay with however you choose to handle it.”

Bridget gave a small nod. “Thanks.” She smiled, and gave the brunette a soft kiss. “I love you.”

Franky let go of her, and left the room with the producer. They began the walk back to set.

“Jesus, Franky, that kid pulls at your heart, doesn’t she? Even I was getting a bit emotional back there.” It had finally clicked with her why the brunette had fought so hard to be able to spend time with them.

“Yeah, she’s good at that.” Franky let out a small laugh.

“Everything okay at home?” Jillian was partly asking because she genuinely did care, but also she wanted a head’s up if there was something going on that was going to affect the brunette’s mood on set.

“Yeah, she said Em’s been having trouble sleeping, and one night she took her into our bed with her. It really helps to calm her down. I think she feels comforted by having someone close when she sleeps. The psychologist we took her to see after her dad died kind of discouraged that though, but I told Gidge to do what she thinks is best, and we’ll deal with it when I get back.” Franky didn’t know why she was being so open, but Jillian had been good to her so far.

The producer nodded. “The professionals don’t always know what’s best.”

When they neared the set, she and Jillian parted ways, and Franky headed to the dorms to rejoin her team before the next service.

********

The Blue team’s service that night had been a disaster. Franky wasn’t really surprised, considering they hadn’t had much of a break the past couple of days. One of the women from that team ended up being sent home, leaving them with only three members while the red team still had five.

The brunette went to bed that night with a good feeling. Her team had won both services that day, and she’d gotten to spend time with Emily, and Bridget. She was also two steps closer to trading in her red jacket for a black one. When they were down to only five contestants, they became one team, but at the same time, it was also everyone for themselves. She had to keep up her focus and momentum.


	63. Chapter 63

"Franky!" Emily always answered the brunette's calls the same way, as if she were shocked to see who appeared, even though she'd read the name on the screen before she'd answered.

"Hey, bub! Ooo what have you got there?" Franky saw the young girl's teddy bear sitting on the couch beside her.

"I put the banana on him." She held up the bear so that the brunette could see it.

"Looks good!" Franky held back a laugh, and saw Bridget do the same, at Emily's mispronunciation of the word.

"I put it on his arm like you." She held up his arm to make sure Franky saw it.

"That's awesome! He can be our team mascot!" The brunette could picture Emily and Bridget watching the show, with Emily holding the bear and cheering her on. "How was school today?"

"Good, we started learning about dinosaurs, and I picked out some books about them to read to Auntie Bridge." Emily moved closer to the screen. "Did you win today?"

"We didn't film today. If we do another challenge this week, it'll be either tomorrow or Friday." Franky was losing hope that there'd be another one this week since they'd already had one when they did the children's lunch service on Tuesday, and there was already a service scheduled tomorrow night.

She was also worried that until the black jackets were given out, the challenges, and therefore the rewards would all be team-based. If that was the case, then she wouldn't be seeing them for at least another couple of weeks, assuming she wasn't eliminated. She'd lucked out with the excuse that she didn't like boats the last time, but there were only so many times she could get out of them without making it look suspicious.

"Tell me what you learned about dinosaurs today." The brunette didn't want Emily to dwell on the fact she might not be coming home again this weekend.

"Some were really big. Bigger than a car! Some of them were really small, like animals we have now. And they laid eggs. Some ate meat, some ate plants, and some ate both. I have to make my favorite one out of clay and take it to school." Emily looked back at Bridget. "I need help with that. And clay."

"Sure. We can go pick up some on the weekend." The blonde was happy that Emily was excited over something that didn't depend on Franky coming home. Plus, it gave them something to do together on the weekend.

"Do you know which one you're going to make yet?" The brunette had an idea, and she was curious to see if she was right.

"Rex from Toy Story!"

"Nice!" Franky smiled. She'd been right. "Do you remember what kind of dinosaur he is?"

"Tyra...a T Rex!" Emily stumbled over the long word.

"Very good, a Tyrannosaurus Rex." The brunette tried to remind her of the word without making a big deal that she wasn't able to come up with it. "Is that why you picked the dinosaur pyjamas tonight?"

"Yeah!" Emily smiled, clearly pleased that Franky had noticed her choice and made the connection.

"Em." Bridget tapped her gently on the arm.

"I have to go because Auntie Bridge wants to talk to you alone about secret stuff." Emily put her face close to the screen. "I love you."

"I love you, too, bub." Franky said with a small laugh.

The brunette could see Bridget watching Emily walk down the hallway to her room, waiting until she was out of earshot. After a few seconds, the blonde turned her attention back to the screen, smiling.

"Is that what you told her? That we talk about secret stuff?" Franky asked with a half grin.

"No," Bridget said with a laugh. "I told her I wanted to talk to you alone. She made the connection to secrets on her own. I guess she doesn't totally understand privacy yet. I'm sure that will be a talk we'll have at some point."

"How do you explain that to a six year old? It's not like they want privacy for anything." Franky thought of all the times she'd walked into the bathroom thinking it was empty, but really Emily had just not bothered to close the door. Or, the times when the young girl would still be getting dressed on her way down the hallway in the morning.

"You'd be surprised. There are times when she goes to her room and shuts her door, so she gets it at least a bit." Bridget knew that the total understanding of the concept didn't come all at once; it was a process that happened as situations came up.

"Yeah, but like what's she doing in there?" The brunette couldn't think of anything.

The older woman shrugged. She knew from the child psychology courses she'd done in university what a few of the possibilities were, but she didn't feel it was something she needed to share with Franky at that moment, especially with Emily not really all that far away.

"How was your day, baby? You said you didn't film, did you have classes?" Bridget thought the brunette looked like she was ready to go to bed at any moment.

"It was okay. We did a couple interviews, so I guess we did technically film, it just wasn't a challenge or service." Franky sighed. "Those kinds of days are long though. You can't put on comfy clothes and relax because they keep calling you back to the interview room. You have free time in between, but you can't get into anything because you don't know when or if they'll want you for something else. I don't know...it's just boring as fuck."

The blonde could tell that the younger woman was agitated. She knew Franky hated sitting and doing nothing unless she was relaxing with either her or Emily. She was also someone who needed to get out of the house almost every day. Even if it was just a quick run to the corner store for milk, the brunette usually volunteered to go, especially if she'd been home all day.

“I know it’s a boring place for someone like you. You’ve got too much energy to sit around there. You’re doing so well though, baby. Just hang in there.” Bridget didn’t want the few down days to discourage her or distract her from the big picture. “I’ll help you burn some of it off when you get home.”

“The way I feel right now, that might take all night.” The brunette gave her that sexy half grin again.

“I’m okay with that.” The blonde shifted in her seat.

“Ugh, Gidge what is wrong with us?! We’re like two teenagers. It hasn’t even been two weeks since I was home.” Franky laughed and heard Bridget do the same.

“I don’t know, just don’t make any plans for that first night home.” The blonde glanced down the hallway on her way out to the patio. 

She sat down in one of the lounge chairs that was facing away from the back of the house. She smiled at Franky as she let her fingertips brush over her breast. After she did it a second time, she could feel her nipple start to harden. The fabric of her singlet was thin, and she knew the brunette would be able to tell. 

“Gidge,” Franky said in a curious, but warning, tone. “What are you doing?”

Bridget shrugged. “We’ll see how far we get, then I’ll let you know.”

Franky smiled and looked around to see if there was anyone else in the room with her at the moment, and saw no one. 

“I can tell you’re enjoying that.” The brunette licked her bottom lip. “I bet you wish it were my hands on you instead of yours.”

“Mmm, yes.” Bridget let her head fall back against the cushion of the chair.

Franky watched as the blonde squeezed both of her breasts and pinched her right nipple.

“Are you wet, babe?” The younger woman saw a small grin flash across Bridget’s face.

“Probably.” The blonde knew the answer was closer to a ‘yes’, but she didn’t want to make it too easy for the other woman.

“Check for me.” Franky bit her bottom lip. “Nice and slow.” 

She watched as Bridget’s hand slid out of view of the camera.

“Are you?” she asked a couple of seconds later when she saw the blonde’s eyes flutter closed for an instant.

“Mhm.” Bridget answered as she felt her fingertip slide smoothly over her clit then her folds.

“Keep going, nice and slow, back and forth.” Franky could tell that the blonde’s breathing was picking up.

“It feels really good.” Bridget whispered. She was getting lost in the sensations of her own touch.

“How long has it been since you’ve done this?” The brunette knew that the older woman didn’t usually take long to orgasm, but things seemed to be moving along fairly quickly at the moment.

“When I made the video for you.” She stifled a quiet moan, not wanting to risk having Emily hear her.

“Oof, that’s been a bit, huh, Gidge?” Franky smiled as they made eye contact through the screen. “Do you feel it already?”

“Yeah, I’m starting to.” She closed her eyes again. “It feels warm, and nice.”

“Good, that’s good, babe.” The only thing stopping the brunette from shoving her hand into her own pants was the knowledge that someone could walk in at any second with no notice. “Put your fingers inside.”

Bridget squeezed her eyes shut, and bit her lip as she entered herself with two fingers. She preferred how Franky did it. The brunette had longer fingers, and when she was on top of the blonde, she could push in a bit deeper. Bridget was the smaller of the two, and she liked feeling Franky’s weight on her; liked feeling the younger woman’s muscles move as she held onto her.

“Shit.” Bridget let her thumb brush over her clit and felt the warmth build a bit more inside her.

“Use a little more pressure, babe.” Franky smiled when she heard the small moan that escaped the blonde’s lips. “You’re close now, I can tell.”

“Mmm, yeah. It fee- it feels really good.” It was getting harder for Bridget to concentrate on speaking. 

“I like when you’re close. I can feel you start to tense up, and I know that I’m about to make you come. I love knowing that I can make you feel that good. That’s it, babe.” Franky watched as Bridget’s body tensed, then relaxed a few times, the blonde trying to be as quiet as possible.  
“Nice and slow now, draw it out.” The brunette knew she didn’t need coaching, but she liked telling the older woman how she would touch her.

Bridget gave herself a moment to come down before she opened her eyes.

“Well, shit, baby.” The blonde smiled, and they both broke out in laughter. “None of this had better end up on TV or the internet.”

“It won’t. Promise.” Someone opened the door and signalled to the brunette that her time was up. “That’s either really good, or really bad timing.” Franky gave her an apologetic smile.

“I’ll go with good timing.” Bridget winked at her. 

“Fuck I love you.” The brunette meant it. She watched the other woman’s face for a few seconds. “You’re so beautiful.”

The older woman laughed. “I love you, too, baby. Go kick some ass.”

“I will.” Franky blew her a kiss.

“Goodnight.” Bridget blew a kiss back.

“Goodnight.”

The screen went black and Bridget let out a sigh before she headed back into the house.

********

"I can't sleep." Emily had made her way back to the living room where Bridget was finishing up some work on her laptop.

"Come sit with me." The blonde patted the space beside her on the couch. "Why can't you sleep?"

"I don't know." The young girl shrugged. She looked at the laptop on her aunt's lap. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just finishing up some work." Bridget had been bringing some work home with her most evenings now. When Franky had started staying there, she'd stopped doing that, but now that the brunette was away it was a habit she'd picked back up. It was mostly what she used as a distraction between the time when Emily went to bed, and when she went herself.

"Are you going to bed soon?" Emily asked quietly.

"Yeah, I was planning to go in a few minutes." The blonde put her arm around her niece. "Are you okay, love?"

The young girl was quiet for a minute. "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

"Yeah, if you want to." Bridget had decided after her talk with Franky, that for as long as the brunette was gone, she'd let Emily sleep in their bed any night she asked. She hadn't talked with her about it yet though.

"Really?" she looked up at the blonde with a smile.

"Yes, but we need to talk about something first." She waited to make sure she had the young girl's attention. "You know that normally there are rules about when you can sleep in our bed."

"When I'm sick, or if I have a bad dream and I'm scared." Emily recited the rules.

"That's right. I had a talk with Franky though, and we know that you've been missing her a lot. We agreed that if you want to sleep in our bed with me some nights, even though you wouldn't normally be allowed, then you can. But, the deal is, that when she's home, the rules go back to normal, and you sleep in your own bed again. Can you promise you'll do that?" Bridget highly doubted that there would be absolutely no fuss about going back to normal, but she wanted Emily to know this was only temporary right from the start.

"Okay." The young girl nodded her head. "Can I bring my teddy bear?"

"Sure, love. I'm going to use the washroom, so you go get your bear then get in bed, and I'll meet you there." Bridget watched as Emily hopped off the couch, and went to her room to get the stuffed animal. The thought crossed her mind that she was glad she had a big bed, because at some point, there would probably be two extra people sleeping with them some nights.

When the blonde got to the bedroom, Emily was already under the covers on Franky's side of the bed. Bridget laid down as gently as she could, not wanting to disturb the young girl in case she was already close to sleep. It wasn’t long though before she had moved in next to her aunt.

“Goodnight, love.” Bridget kissed the top of Emily’s head and put her arms around her. She got no response, and judging by the young girl’s breathing, she was already asleep.

********

“Good morning everyone. As you know, we do have a service later today, but this morning, I’d like to have a chance to talk to each of you one on one about how you think you’re doing in the competition so far. So I’ll ask you to go back to the dorms, and wait until you’re called to my office.” Jared turned and headed towards the staircase at the back of the restaurant that led up to his office.

“Sounds kind of ominous, doesn’t it?” Shayne asked as he walked with Franky back to the dorms.

“It’s probably nothing. Just something for them to use as a filler in the show.” The brunette of course knew that he might be right, but she was trying not to think about it.

She decided to make use of her time waiting by going through the new menu they’d been given. It hadn’t changed much since the first service, but now that everyone was comfortable with those dishes, they were changing it up a bit. Some things stayed the same; the items, like scallops, that were simple to cook, but easy to screw up if your timing was the least bit off. They’d added a lobster risotto appetizer, as well as beef wellington, and lamb as main courses.

“Franky, you’re up.” Lucas had answered the dorm phone.

The brunette made her way to Jared’s office. She hadn’t thought a lot about what she wanted to say. She felt like her cooking spoke for itself, and the fact that she’d done well in the challenges and services should be all he needed to know. When she reached the top of the stairs, she knocked on the door.

“Come in!” Jared called out from inside his office. He looked up when he heard the door open. “Ah, Franky, come in and have a seat.” He motioned to the chair in front of his desk.

Franky took in the office as she entered. It was nicely decorated, but mostly devoid of anything personal, such as family photos or decorative items. She thought it was strange, even though Bridget’s office was in a prison, she’d taken in a few things to make it her own. The brunette remembered playing with the Newton’s Cradle on her desk while they’d talk during their sessions. The only thing on the walls in this office though was some generic artwork that was probably chosen by the set designer.

“We’ll get right to it. How do you feel you’re doing so far?” The chef wasn’t a fan of small talk when there was business to be dealt with first.

“I feel like I’m doing alright. I had some issues with the first service, but I think I figured those out.” She was referring to when Hank had substituted salt for sugar at her garnish station.

“Well, those issues weren’t exactly your fault, but yes, you were quick to correct them. How do you feel about Hank?” Jared leaned forward and put his elbows on the edge of his desk.

“I think he’s an asshole, but a decent chef when he can pull his shit together.” Franky knew it wasn’t a secret that she and Hank weren’t exactly fond of each other. Despite her personal feelings, she was able to admit that a lot of the time, he was good at what he did.

“You’ve had trouble with him besides during service.” The chef watched her closely, trying to read her reactions. “A couple of incidents.”

Franky shrugged. “They’re over and done with.”

“You don’t want to say any more about them?” Jared sat back in his chair again.

“I said what I wanted to say at the time.” The brunette wasn’t going to let herself be pulled into any gossiping or backstabbing.

“Fine. In your opinion then, who is the weakest chef on your team?” 

Franky took a deep breath. “The weakest chef if we’re strictly talking about cooking ability, I‘d have to say would be Catherine. If we’re taking into consideration whether or not they could actually run a kitchen on top of their cooking ability, then I’d say Jenna. She lacks the confidence at this point, and tends to let herself be overwhelmed when things get off track instead of just pushing through it. I’ve seen a huge improvement in her since the first day, and I think she’ll be fairly strong by the end of this.” 

The chef thought for a moment. “And Shayne?”

“He’s good, but he’s young. He needs some experience, but he’s willing to put in the work. Hasn’t fucked up during service yet.” The brunette shrugged. That fact alone meant that he was good at what he did.

“Alright. Well, thank you for your insight. You can go back and join the others.” He stood and shook her hand before she left.

“How was it?” Shayne asked when Franky returned to the dorms.

“It was alright, but weird. I don’t know...just don’t say more than you have to. It seems like he was fishing for something.” The brunette had noticed how Jared had always been quiet for a moment after she had finished speaking. It was like he was hoping she’d want to fill the silence, and maybe say something she hadn’t meant to let slip.

Franky sat with Shayne and went over the new menu until it was time for his interview. He wasn’t gone long, so she figured he had taken her advice and kept his answers short and to the point. When everyone had had their turn, they were called back to the restaurant.

“So, you’ve all had your interviews, and you’ve unknowingly completed part one of today’s challenge.” Jared began to pace back and forth as he spoke.

Franky shifted nervously, she didn’t like this at all.

“I asked each of you, not only how I thought you were doing, but how you thought your teammates were doing. Let’s start with the Blue team. Lucas, your teammates voted you the strongest chef on the team, noting your strong performances during service. Amanda, your teammates voted you the weakest chef on the team, citing poor organization and execution of dishes during service, and mediocre contributions during the challenges.” He was silent for a moment before he turned to the other group. “Red team, let’s start with who you think is the strongest chef. Franky, you came out on top there. Everyone complimented your leadership skills, and willingness to help and teach the others.” He saw the brunette glance at Hank. “Yeah, everyone. Now, to the weakest member of your team. Jenna, that was you. Your lack of confidence was your biggest downfall. You just can’t consistently keep it together during service. So on to the good news, and the bad news. The good news: Lucas and Franky, you’ve got immunity for the next service. Jenna and Amanda, part two of the challenge starts now for you. You’ll each cook three dishes, an appetizer and two mains, from the menu we’ve been using all along. The chef who produces the lower quality dishes, is going home. You have thirty minutes, and your time starts now.”

“This isn’t fucking right,” Franky said, as she took a seat beside Shayne to watch the challenge unfold. “He never told us this was what he was using our answers for.”

“Franks, she’ll be alright. It’s stuff from the old menu, she knows it.” He waited until the brunette made eye contact, then gave a small nod.

“She’s not up there because she doesn’t know the menu, or because she’s a bad cook. She’s up there because he knows she gets flustered under pressure. Fuck.” Franky had too much energy to just be sitting there, but she had nowhere to go. She sat back in her chair, and played with the silver ring on her finger.

The appetizer they were given were the scallops. 

“Easy to make, easy to fuck up,” the brunette thought to herself. She knew that since all the dishes had to be ready at once, Jenna should leave the scallops until the end since they took the least amount of time to cook. 

The main dishes each chef had to cook were the New York strip steak, and the salmon. 

“No, that pan is going to be way too hot by the time you’re ready to cook the scallops if you put it on the burner now.” Shayne watched Jenna closely. “No, you have to score the skin on the salmon. Franky, she didn’t score the skin.”

“Shayne, I love ya, but you need to just shut the fuck up for now, okay?” Franky didn’t mean to snap at him, but she could see with her own eyes what was going on in that kitchen, and she was worried. 

“Sorry.” He sat back in his chair.

It was hard for the brunette to just sit back and watch. She saw Jenna look over at the rest of the team a few times while she was cooking. Franky knew the young woman wanted to ask questions, but she was on her own now. Even when Jenna was on the right track, the brunette knew that simply having someone confirm that for her would have made a big difference in how she was coping with the situation.

The half hour seemed to stretch on forever, but finally it was time for Jenna and Amanda to present their dishes to Jared. Franky wasn’t religious, but she found herself saying a tiny prayer.

“Let’s have the scallops first.” Jared waited while the two women uncovered and sat their appetizers on the table before him. He tasted Amanda’s first. “Not bad. Very slightly overcooked.” Next he tried Jenna’s. He was quiet for a moment while he chewed. “They’re raw in the centre. I’d say the pan was too hot. The outside is almost too dark, but the middle is still raw.” The chef sighed. “Neither one is perfect, but Amanda wins this round.”

The brunette felt Shayne squeeze her elbow as a silent gesture of comfort.

“I’d like the steaks next, please.” Jared picked up his knife and fork. “What I’m mostly looking for here is that you’ve nailed the cooking time that we asked for.” He sliced into Amanda’s steak. “This is well done, we asked for medium. What happened?”

“I was...I just lost track of the timing.” Amanda shrugged. She knew that was one of her weaknesses, and she wasn’t going to make up an excuse for her mistake.

“Alright.” The chef respected when people owned their mistakes. “Jenna, let’s have a look at yours.” He sliced open the steak and took a bite. “Nicely cooked. Good flavour. Jenna, this round is yours.”

“Good, good, you got this.” Franky mumbled to herself.

It all came down to the salmon. The brunette knew that Jenna had forgotten to score the skin, and while that wouldn’t make it impossible to get a nice crispy skin on it, it would make it difficult. She held her breath while Jared inspected the dish.

“You didn’t score the skin,” He observed on first glance, before taking a bite. “The salmon itself is nicely cooked, but the skin is soggy in places. You need to score it so it lays completely flat in the pan. Amanda, let’s see yours.” Jared took a bite. “Nice flavour, nicely cooked, crispy skin. This round is yours.”

“This is bullshit.” The brunette didn’t think she’d said it that loud, but Jared glanced over at her.

“Amanda, please go back and join your team. Jenna, I need your jacket.” He held out his hand and waited while the young woman removed her red jacket. “You have potential, but it’s not your time.”

Jenna turned to wave goodbye to her teammates, and Franky could see her tears all the way from where she was sitting. She wished she was able to at least give the young woman a hug, and tell her not to give up doing something she loved just because this didn’t work out.

“I’ll see you all for service tonight.” Jared turned, with Jenna’s jacket still in his hand, and walked towards the staircase at the back.

The brunette’s stare was locked on his back as he walked away. She felt Shayne’s hand on her shoulder.

“Come on, Franks.” He tried to coax her back to the dorms.

Franky shrugged off his hand, and headed straight towards the chef.

“Jared!” The brunette was catching up to him, but he paid her no attention. “Jared! I want to fucking talk to you!”

The chef stopped, and turned around. Out of nowhere, two men who looked like bodyguards, appeared out of the shadows. Franky came to a stop about a foot in front of him, and crossed her arms over her chest. He waved the two men away.

“That wasn’t right, and you fucking know it.” Franky locked her gaze on his.

“Franky, this is how the show works. The weakest chefs get eliminated.” He gave a small shrug.

“Yeah, based on their cooking abilities, not because they get singled out and thrown out there on their own when we’ve never had to cook like that alone before!” The more the brunette had sat there and thought about it, the madder she’d gotten. The only time they’d been asked to cook on their own was the very first dish, and that was something they had gotten to choose for themselves. It wasn’t three dishes at once. “You called us up there.” She pointed towards his office upstairs. “Then you got us to unknowingly put a teammate on the chopping block. The problem with Jenna was her confidence, not her cooking. You knew that, and you put her through that challenge knowing she’d fall apart emotionally.”

“Franky.” Jared had been silent the whole time, letting her say what she needed to get off her chest. “I’ve seen the work you’ve done with her. I know you sort of took her under your wing. You’re good at that, and she made real progress. I understand that you care about your teammate, and I can respect you coming here now to stick up for her, but at the end of the day, it’s still a competition. What we’re looking for in a winner is someone who’s going to go on and run their own restaurant if that’s what they want. Someone who can take the prize money and turn it into their dream. That wasn’t going to happen for her. She lacks the leadership qualities, the confidence, the ability to take charge of a group. I have no doubt she’ll be a great chef, but right here, right now, she’s not what we’re looking for.”

“You didn’t have to send her off like that. You could have done it after a service if you knew you didn’t want her. You didn’t have to put her up there alone.” Franky wiped a single tear from her cheek that fell in spite of her trying to be tough in this moment.

“You’ve got a big heart; it’s not a bad thing. Word of advice though, it’s not going to get any easier in here, so find a way to protect it until this is over.” With that he turned and continued on his way to his office.

The brunette wiped her cheeks again, and started walking towards the dorms.

“Franky! My office, now!” Jillian had emerged from one of the side hallways. As soon as Franky started to walk in her direction she turned and went back the way she came in.

When the brunette arrived in the office, Jillian simply held out her hands and shrugged.

“I had to say something.” Franky had known immediately why the producer wanted to talk to her. 

“You can’t go charging after him like that! Do you know what went through my mind when the call for security came over my radio?” Jillian had pictured all the hard work she’d done for her first show going down the drain.

“I didn’t touch him...I wouldn’t.” The brunette was mad, but she wasn’t stupid enough to go back to her old ways.

“Okay, just...I don’t want to see anything like that again.” The producer ran a hand over her face. “Are you okay now?”

“I’m fine.” Franky shrugged and picked at a loose thread on her jacket.

“I can let you call Bridget for a few minutes if you’d like.” Jillian doubted that the brunette would say much to her even if she wasn’t fine, so she made the offer of the phone call.

Franky shook her head. “She’s at work. I’m fine.”

“Okay.” She studied the brunette for a moment. “The offer is there if you change your mind.”

“Is that all?” Franky wanted to get out of there. She knew there wasn’t really anywhere to go, but the room was suddenly feeling too small.

“Yeah, get some rest before service.” As she watched the brunette walk away, she contemplated calling Bridget herself, then thought better of it. She had to trust that Franky knew what she needed.

“Franks!” Shayne called out to her as she crossed the living room, but she paid him no attention.

She continued, not slowing her stride, until she was outside. She placed her hands high against the concrete wall surrounding the outside space, and leaned forward, stretching out her back and shoulder muscles. After a few seconds, she heard the sliding door open, then close, behind her. She turned to see Shayne sitting in one of the chairs behind her.

“You alright?” he asked as she took a seat in the chair beside him.  
“Yeah.” Franky studied the rings on her fingers. Shayne was quiet, and she thought maybe he assumed her earlier request for him to shut up still applied. “Let’s just go over the new menu stuff for tonight, okay?”

The brunette didn’t know what else to do. When she was upset out in the real world, she used to spend some time with a punching bag, or throw herself into her work. Right now, going over the new material was all she had. In the back of her mind, a voice told her that she should have taken Jillian up on the offer to call Bridget, but she didn’t want to seem like she couldn’t handle herself in here. 

********

Bridget was running a bit late to pick up Emily from the Centre after work. She knew that Liz would never say anything about it, but she still felt bad making her stay there extra time. 

“I’m so sorry. There was an accident on the main road, and I didn’t realize it in time to take another route,” the blonde said as she hurried into the classroom.

“Oh, it’s no problem. I just got a head start on some things for tomorrow.” Liz gave her a warm smile.

“You were in an accident?!” Emily rushed over to her aunt. It seemed that that was the only work she’d picked out of what Bridget had said.

“No, love.” The blonde took her niece in her arms. “Someone else was. I was just stuck in traffic because of it.”

“Were they hurt?” The young girl gave her a serious look.

“Um, I don’t know. I wasn’t close enough to see anything like that.” Bridget knew she had to change the subject quickly. “How was your day? What did you do with Liz?”

“It was good. I have homework. Math stuff.” Emily zipped up her backpack. “Liz gave me some cookies then I had a nap.”

“Sounds like you had a fun day! I was thinking we could stop at the store on the way home and get the clay we’ll need to make your dinosaur. That way, when I pick you up tomorrow, we can just go right home and start the weekend.” Bridget knew that Franky was filming a service tonight, so it was unlikely she’d call, and it would be hard to get Emily to agree to leave the house on the weekend if she was waiting for the brunette to either call or show up.

“Can we go to McDonald’s for supper?” Emily gave her the bright smile she knew usually worked on the blonde, and Franky.

“Sure, I don’t feel like cooking anyway.” Bridget saw the smile on the young girl’s face widen. “Would you like to join us, Liz?”

“Oh, no, I’m just going to finish up here, and head home. Thanks though.” She gave the blonde’s arm a squeeze.

“Sure.” Bridget smiled at her, “Drop by the house anytime though, if you want. We can have a chat, and some tea.” She knew that Liz was probably missing Franky right now as well, and an afternoon with company would do them both good.

“Thanks, love, I will.” Liz gave her a smile, and a small nod. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” She waved as they left the classroom.

It didn’t take long for them to find the clay they were looking for, and get some food. Emily was quiet on the drive home, but Bridget thought she might just be winding down from her day.

As soon as they got home, she sent Emily to the shower.

“Go shower, love, and put on your pyjamas, then we’ll have a look at your Math homework, and spend some time together before bed.” The blonde wasn’t taking any chances of the young girl falling asleep without getting ready for bed.

“Can we watch a movie in bed?” Emily asked.

Bridget had just finished helping her with her homework, and had told the young girl that she could choose the activity for the rest of the evening.

“Sure. Are you not feeling well, or just tired?” The blonde remembered that the last time Emily was sick, Franky said she’d slept for most of the day.

“I’m tired, and want to cuddle,” she said as she placed her completed homework on the coffee table.

“Okay, go get ready for bed then.” Bridget was glad that Emily was getting better at communicating her needs and feelings. The sessions with Brad around the holidays had helped a lot with that.

The blonde grabbed her iPad, and went to the bedroom to change while Emily was in the bathroom. When the young girl was done, she and Bridget switched places, and she climbed into bed while her aunt went to brush her teeth.

When Bridget returned, she saw Emily peering into the drawer of Franky’s bedside table. She knew there was at least a bottle of lube, and the handcuffs from the brunette’s Halloween costume in there, but she played it calm.

“Em, it’s not nice to look through people’s things. Close the drawer, love.” The blonde watched as her niece closed it, and settled back into the bed. “You can pick out a movie for us to watch,” she said, as she got in under the covers. She was thankful that it seemed like Emily didn’t have any questions about what she’d seen.

********

Franky was standing at her station, waiting for the first orders of the evening to come in. She was doing appetizers, then switching to the dessert station when the apps were all done. Shayne was doing garish, and Hank was doing seafood, which left Catherine on the meat station. The brunette couldn’t help but shake the bad feeling she had about this service. They’d just lost a team member, and while she knew she should be supportive of the others, she was worried about how Catherine would perform on her station. The older woman had two new main dishes to deal with, and the brunette knew she preferred a slower-paced station, so basically the exact opposite of where she was tonight.

“Table five, four covers, three lobster risotto, one scallops.” Jared called out the first ticket.

“Three risotto, four minutes, chef.” The brunette grabbed a pan, and quickly added the mostly pre-cooked rice, and stock.

“Scallops, three minutes.” Hank called out. He sat a pan on the burner, but waited to give Franky the extra minute she needed before he started cooking.

The apps went out quickly, and without much issue. Hank overcooked one serving of scallops, which Jared had caught and sent back, but other than that they were all working well together. 

“Okay, Red team, on to the main courses. Back to table five, four covers, two wellington, one lamb, one salmon.” The chef called out the main course orders for the table that had started off the evening.

Franky switched off the burners at her station, and went to the walk-in fridge in the back to get the desserts they had prepared earlier. She was sliding the trays off the tall cart, and laying them out on the back counter when she heard Jared yell at Catherine.

“The lamb is still raw! Start again!” He dropped the trays onto the counter and turned back to continue plating dishes from the Blue team.

Franky continued working, setting out the small bowls of sugar and cocoa powder for the chocolate soufflé. A few moments later she heard Jared yell at Catherine again.

“Franky!” 

The brunette’s head snapped up when she heard her name. “Yes, chef?”

“Get up here and take over the meat station,” Jared said as he went back to the Blue kitchen once more.

“Okay, here, we’ll do it together. What do we need?” Franky had hurried back to the front. She knew she could catch them up, she just needed to figure out what the orders were. She quickly checked the ticket at the front. “We need two wellingtons, and a lamb right now, then the next table is two more wellingtons, and two lamb. Alright, let’s go.” The brunette patted Catherine on the back in encouragement, and then set to work.

“No, no, no.” Jared marched back into the Red kitchen. “I said for Franky to take over. That means you go finish getting the desserts ready.” He waved his hand between Catherine and the back counter where Franky had been working. 

“She can stay and hel-” Franky was quickly cut off.

“I’m sending her back to desserts. Remember, you have immunity from them, not from me.” He pointed to the others on the team, before going back to the blue side.

The brunette had wanted Catherine to put out at least a few orders from the meat station so she wouldn’t feel like she’d completely blown it for that service. She knew after Jared’s warning though, that she had to just shut up for now.

“I’m so sorry.” Catherine touched Franky’s arm as she turned to go.

“It’s alright,” the brunette said as she turned the lamb in the pan. “Most of the stuff is ready down there, and I’ll be back to help when the main courses are done, okay?” 

The woman gave her a quick nod, and hurried to the back before Jared returned.

The service ran smoothly again until Catherine couldn’t get her chocolate souflés to rise.

“Hey, did you put the butter around the edge and bottom of the pan so it would rise and not stick?” Franky whispered quietly. Jared hadn’t discovered there was an issue yet, and she was trying to keep it that way. 

Catherine shook her head. “I forgot.”

“Okay, do it from now on, quick, get those going, and I’ll do the crème brûlées.” Franky quickly sat the failed soufflé attempts to the side, and started on her own work.

“Where are the soufflés?” Jared called from the front. “The first tables should be ready by now.”

“I’m going to need some extra time, they’re just going in now.” Catherine’s voice gave away how nervous she was.

“What?” The chef started walking to the back. “Why are they just going in now?”

“I, uh, I forgot to butter the dish and the first ones didn’t rise properly.” She was working quickly to make up for her mistake.

Jared looked at the brunette, who glared back at him. “Alright, just make sure to call out your times so Franky can be ready to go with you.”

The brunette was glad to see that Catherine had relaxed a bit, and was settling into a good pace. There were a few times she had to jump in and help in between making her own desserts, but it ran smoothly overall, and they finished the service. 

“Clearly, Red team, you’re the losing team tonight. I’ll meet you out front in a few minutes for the elimination.” Jared turned, and left the kitchen.

They all went out and stood at the front of the restaurant, and waited for the chef to return.

“Okay, let’s get to the point. Shayne, who’s your nomination, and why?” He called the young man forward.

“I’d like to nominate myself, Chef.” Catherine spoke before Shayne had a chance to give his nomination. “I was the only one who screwed up tonight.”

Normally Jared would have told her to step back into her spot and wait to hear what the others had to say, but tonight, he knew she was right. Franky had immunity, but had performed well anyway, and Hank and Shayne had each only made one minor mistake that didn’t hold up service.

“Do you truly feel like you’re done here?” he asked.

“I do. If Franky hadn’t taken over, we’d probably still all be in there cooking. I’m sorry, guys.” She gave the team an apologetic smile. 

“Okay, give me your jacket, then.” Jared knew she was right, and if she’d given up on herself, then there was nothing he could do to make her fight back.

Catherine handed her jacket over, and gave her team a small wave as she left.

Normally, they would be done filming the segment at that point. Tonight though, Jared placed Catherine’s jacket over the back of a nearby chair, and remained standing in front of them. 

“As you know, there are now only six of you left. Five of you will get black jackets.” He stared at the floor while he thought about his next statement. “This is something I didn’t know I was going to do until after the service tonight, so the producer is probably going to want to kill me.” He gave a small laugh. “But anyway,” he reached down and took something from the seat of the chair beside him. “Lucas, come here, please. You’ve shown great talent, and been a leader for your team. I think you’ve earned this. Congratulations,” he said, handing him a black jacket. “Now, to the next order of business. Franky, up here, please.” He pointed to a spot on the floor in front of him.

The brunette stood, and walked to where he had indicated. She was nervous. She’d challenged him twice today, and she knew that was something most people probably wouldn’t have gotten away with.

“I’ve worked with a lot of chefs over the years, but I have to say, I’m not sure I’ve ever met one with as much passion as you. Not only for the food, but also for your team. You had their backs today; more than once. You have a talent for cooking, and a desire to share that talent.” He reached down and took another jacket from the chair. “That’s why I’m also giving you a black jacket today.” Jared waited while she took off her red jacket before handing her the new one.

“Thank you.” Franky knew she had the biggest grin on her face.

“Holy shit, Franks! That’s fucking awesome!” Shayne put his arm around the brunette’s shoulders and pulled her into his side as they walked back to the dorms.

Franky didn’t know what to say. She certainly hadn’t been expecting it. She simply shook her head and smiled. She couldn’t wait to tell Bridget the next time she called.


	64. Chapter 64

“I don’t want to go to school!” Emily was standing in the middle of the dining room, tears streaming down her face. “And I don’t want you to go to work. I want us to stay here.”

“Em, love, you have to go to school, and I have to go to work. Now come on and get changed, so we can have breakfast.” Bridget had just finished packing their lunches, and was trying not to make a big deal out of Emily’s meltdown.

“No! You need to stay here!” the young girl insisted again.

“Why do I have to stay here?” The blonde crouched down beside her niece.

“Because there was an accident yesterday where you drive and you might get hurt, and Franky isn’t here, and then I’d be alone.” Emily was starting to not be able to control her breathing.

“Hey, hey, listen to me.” Bridget waited until the young girl made eye contact with her. “First of all, I’m a very careful driver because I know how important it is to you that I’m safe. Second, no, Franky’s not here right now, but she’s not far away, and if, in the very unlikely possibility, that something happens to me, she’d come right home and look after you. Plus, Liz and Vera are around, so you’ll always have someone with you, I promise.”

“No! We need to stay here!” Emily was taking in big gulps of air again. “I feel sick.”

Bridget knew the warning signs, and just had time to reach out and throw the kitchen garbage can in front of her niece before the young girl was sick. The blonde rubbed her back, and waited a couple of minutes until she was sure Emily was done.

“Let’s go to the bathroom and wash up, okay?” Bridget led her to the sink, and turned on the warm water before she grabbed a washcloth for her from the cupboard.

As she watched Emily wash her face, she was torn as to what to do. She knew the young girl wasn’t sick, she’d only thrown up because she’d gotten herself so worked up. If she forced Emily to go to school, it might very well happen again, and they’d be back where they are now, only having wasted another fifteen minutes or so. If she agreed to let her stay home, she’d have to take the day off as well, and her niece would have learned that throwing a tantrum works. She didn’t mind staying home with her if she was actually sick, but that wasn’t the case here. ‘Do what this thinks is best.’ She could almost feel Franky’s fingers tapping her chest as she remembered her words. 

Bridget sighed. “Alright, go change into clean pyjamas, I need to let Vera know I won’t be in today, and I’ll have to call Ms. Johns and let her know you’ll be out for the day.” The blonde saw the smile on Emily’s face. “Hey, it’s just this once, okay? We’re both going back to school and work on Monday whether Franky is home or not.”

Emily nodded, but Bridget knew this could very well become a daily fight until things were back to normal.

The blonde had made her phone calls, and was sitting on the couch waiting for Emily to return from her room. She was hoping that maybe they could talk a little bit, and the young girl would settle down enough that she’d agree to go to school and just be late instead of missing the whole day.

“Come here, love.” Bridget opened her arms, but Emily was already on her way to sit on her lap whether she’d invited her or not.

“I’m sorry I threw up,” the young girl said quietly as she settled in against her aunt.

“It’s okay.” The blonde placed a kiss on the top of her head. “We need to have a talk though, alright?” She felt Emily nod. “Do you know why you got sick this morning?”

“No.” 

“Well, most of the time when someone throws up it’s because they caught a virus, like what happened the time that Franky took you to the doctor. Sometimes though, if someone is really upset, or feels anxious or nervous, they might get sick because that’s how their body reacts to those feelings.” She rubbed Emily’s back while she talked. “When you have a virus, that sick feeling usually hangs around for a couple of days, but when you’re just upset, you don’t really feel sick before or after. You felt okay when you woke up this morning, and you feel okay now, yeah?”

“Yeah, but I don’t want you to leave.” The young girl held on tightly to Bridget’s shirt.

“I know, I’m not going anywhere.” The blonde rocked her gently in her lap. “We just need to talk about this so that it doesn’t happen again. It’s no fun being sick, right?”

“It hurts my throat,” Emily said quietly.

“Yeah, it can do that.” Bridget held her for a moment. “I know you get scared sometimes, but I promise that Franky and I will look after you, and make sure you’re never alone. We love you so much.”

“I love you, too. I just want both of you here.” The young girl’s voice gave away that she was starting to cry again.

“I want that, too. We just have to be brave for a couple more weeks. Can you do that with me?” Bridget didn’t see the point in pretending that she wasn’t feeling the same as Emily when it came to the brunette being away. It was hard on both of them.

“Yeah.” Emily picked her head up from her aunt’s shoulder.

“Do you feel like you could go to school now that we’ve talked a bit?” The blonde was hoping she’d say yes. Her niece enjoyed school, and she knew if she could get her to agree to go, she’d have fun and forget what she was worried about once she got settled in.

“No!” Emily started crying again.

“Okay, don’t shout, love.” Bridget wiped the tears from the young girl’s face. She thought there may be something more bothering her today, but there was no sense in pushing her to talk any more right now. “Do you want some breakfast now?” Emily shook her head. “Alright. I want you to go get your books from school, and the math flashcards. I have some reports I have to do for work, so I want you to do some school stuff while I write those. We can both sit out here.”

“Can I read to you?” The young girl ran her finger over the stones in Bridget’s engagement ring.

“When I take a break. I want you to read on your own for awhile first.” The blonde knew that asking to read to her was Emily’s way of trying to keep her attention. She didn’t want the day to be too much of a reward for her though, so she wanted her to read on her own, and not just watch TV or play with her toys all day.

While the young girl went to find her books, Bridget placed their lunch bags into the fridge. She opened Emily’s water bottle, and added some ice to it.

“Here this will help your throat.” The blonde placed the water bottle on the coffee table, and went to get her laptop.

As she was getting her laptop from her office, Bridget felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She looked at the screen, and saw it was a text message from Franky.

_From: Franky  
I have big news! I’ll try to call later on when you’re home. I love you xo._

The blonde debated whether to tell her that she was home right now. She knew that Franky would want to know why she wasn’t at work, and that she would be concerned if she knew Emily had been sick this morning. They’d also promised not to hide things from each other while she was in there. Bridget tapped on the reply box.

_To: Franky_  
That’s great! Can’t wait to hear it! I’m working from home today. Everything is fine, don’t  
worry. Call whenever you like. I love you too xo.

She’d no sooner hit ‘send’ before her phone vibrated again, this time with a call from Franky.

“Hey, baby.” Bridget gave her a weak smile.

“Hey, is everything okay? Are you and Em alright?” Franky searched the background behind the blonde to see if she could find Emily.

“Yeah, it’s fine now.” Bridget sighed. “I was late picking her up yesterday because there had been an accident on the road ahead of me. She overheard me telling Liz, and this morning she started sobbing, and saying she didn’t want us to leave the house. She got so upset she made herself sick.” She glanced behind her to make sure the young girl hadn’t heard her and come to see who she was talking to. “I didn’t know what to do. She’s calmed down now, so I made her get some books to read, at least do something so it’s not just a free day.”

“Shit, Gidge. You did the right thing. She probably would have just gotten sick again at school if you’d managed to get that far.” Franky knew without a doubt that she would have made the same call as the older woman.

“Thanks. What was your news, baby?” The brunette had been so quick to ask how they were that Bridget hadn’t had a chance yet to ask her what her news was.

“I got a black jacket!” Franky said with a huge smile on her face.

“Franky! That means you’re in the finals, right?!” She saw the brunette nod excitedly. “That’s amazing, baby! I’m so proud of you!” Bridget thought for a moment. “Wait, it’s early for those though, right? You said you didn’t get those until the second to last week of filming.”

“I got it early. I guess Jared was impressed with the service last night.” Franky’s smile faded as she remembered the other events of the day before. “We lost Catherine and Jenna. I almost fucked up.”

“Franky…” The blonde saw the look on the younger woman’s face. “What happened?”

“He threw Jenna out there by herself because he knew she was the weakest. That’s how she got eliminated, during the Cook for Your Life challenge. Afterwards, I had to say something, so I went up to him and let him have it. I was mad. I never touched him though.” Franky looked up from the floor to try and gauge Bridget’s reaction.

“It’s okay to get mad, and he must not have minded since he gave you the jacket early. You’re doing really well.” The blonde gave her a warm smile. “Do you want to talk to Em?”

“I do, but I think it might not be a good idea. If she thinks I’ll call during the day, that might be another excuse she’ll use to want to stay home from school.” The brunette hated that she was giving up the chance to talk with the young girl. “I’ll call tonight and talk to her then. I promise.”

“Okay.” Bridget glanced behind her again. “I should go. I told her I was just coming in to get my laptop. She’ll come looking for me soon.”

“Alright. I love you, babe.” Franky puckered her lips, and made a comically loud kissing sound.

The blonde giggled. “I love you, too.”

********

It was late afternoon, and Bridget was once again sitting with Emily in her lap. The young girl had listened to her and done some school work, and let her get some of her reports written, but every time the blonde took a break, her niece was right back on her lap. She could tell by the way Emily was resting her weight against her that she’d either fallen asleep or was close to it.

Bridget heard the key in the door, then the doorknob turn. She felt the young girl turn her head a bit, waiting to see who it was. It was only a few seconds before the blonde recognized Vera’s footsteps on the wooden floor.

“Hey,” Vera whispered as she peeked around the corner. “I brought you guys something.” She held up the bags she was carrying. “I thought maybe you could use a break from cooking, so I picked up some stuff from that place that makes the homemade meals that you just have to bake or heat up.” 

“Aww, that’s so thoughtful. Em, love, I’m going to get up and talk with Vera for a minute, okay?” Bridget helped her niece move off her lap, and onto the couch. She joined her friend in the kitchen.

“How is everything?” Vera asked quietly.

“I’ll put this food away, then let’s…” The blonde nodded towards the patio, indicating that she wanted to talk somewhere that Emily couldn’t hear them.

“Bridget, no offence, but you look tired,” Vera said as she shut the sliding door behind her.

“Em wasn’t sleeping well for a while, and I guess neither was I. I gave in and let her sleep in the bed with me, which helped a bit, but she thrashes around in her sleep more than Franky, so I get woken up a few times through the night.” Bridget gave a weak smile as she sat down on the couch by the firepit. It wasn’t uncommon for her to wake up to a hand on her face, or a kick to her leg. “This morning,” the blonde said, shaking her head. “She heard me mention an accident yesterday on my way home, and she got so worried that she made herself throw up.”

“Why don’t you take some of your family leave?” Vera asked, taking a seat beside her friend.

“I don’t know if that would solve the problem.” Bridget sighed. “I think if I was home, she’d just put up a fight every day to stay with me. And what would I do? I think I’d go crazy here by myself all day alone.”

“I wasn’t really thinking of it like that, but yeah, you’re right. I just thought you looked like you could use a break.” Vera studied her friend’s face. “What can I do?”

“You’re doing a lot. You’ve been very lenient in letting me have time off to take Em to the lunch service, and today. The food was very generous as well.” The blonde reached over and gave her hand a small squeeze. “You can always drop by for a visit whenever you’d like. Em loves spending time with you. We could have a girl’s night.”

“That sounds really nice actually.” Vera gave her a smile. 

“Why don’t you stay for supper? Em seems to be feeling better, and it’ll give us a chance to catch up. I know I haven’t been overly talkative lately at work.”

“Okay, sounds like fun.” Vera gave a small nod.

********

“Franky!” Emily answered the brunette’s call.

Vera had left not long ago, and now Bridget and her niece were spending a quiet evening together.

“Hey, bub!” Franky was glad that it seemed like the young girl was getting back to feeling like her usual self. “How are you feeling? Auntie said you stayed home from school today.”

“Yeah I feel better.” Emily paused for a moment. “When did you talk to Auntie Bridge?”

Bridget and the brunette exchanged looks. 

“She sent a text this morning and I read it just before I called.” Franky had forgotten that they’d decided not to tell her that she’d called earlier. “Would you like to talk about it?”

“I was scared because Auntie Bridge said there was an accident yesterday, and you’re not here. I’d be alone,” Emily said, quietly.

“Auntie is very careful, but if anything happened, no matter where I was, I’d come back right away. Nothing is more important to be than you guys.” Franky knew without a doubt that was the truth.

The young girl nodded. “I know. That’s what she told me, too.”

The brunette was glad to see that she didn’t seem too upset by it anymore. She decided to change the subject though, so as not to get her worried again so close to bedtime.

“What do you guys have planned for tomorrow?” Franky asked. It was always a bittersweet question. She wanted to hear all about their days, but it made her sad to not be involved in any of it.

“We’re making Rex tomorrow!” The young girl’s excitement was back. “And I’m going to wear my dinosaur pyjamas all day!”

“Oh that’s awesome! You’ll have to send me pictures, and show me the finished one next time I call!” At that moment, Franky wanted nothing more than to go home and make a clay dinosaur this weekend.

“Okay!” 

Bridget tapped Emily on the shoulder, and the young girl knew that was the cue to say goodbye to the brunette for the night. After exchanging “I love yous”, she made her way to her bedroom for a few minutes.

“I’m really glad she’s feeling better.” Franky had thought about what was happening at home many times throughout the day, and wondered how both Emily, and Bridget were doing.

“She was fine after she knew we were both staying home.” The blonde sighed. “I guess there will always be things that trigger stuff like this. She’d been doing so well.”

“Yeah, I think there will. You got through it though.” The brunette gave her a small smile. Bridget simply nodded. “I can’t wait to be done with this, and be home with you guys. I’m not letting go of either of you for a full day when I’m finally back for good.”

“I don’t think you’ll get much of an argument on that.” Bridget let out a small laugh.

“You doing alright?” Franky knew that the blonde would say she was, whether she was or not, but she always asked her anyway.

“Yeah. I’m just like you though, I’ll be glad when it’s done.” She studied the younger woman’s face. It was hard to believe it had been weeks since they’d shared a bed. “Tomorrow will be fun though.”

“She seems really into dinosaurs now.” It seemed like every time the brunette poke with her lately, she had a new fact to share.

“She’s at that age where she’s becoming like a sponge and just soaking everything in. She’s asking more questions now, too.” Bridget knew that even though Franky had only been gone a short time, she’d notice the change in Emily since she’d started school this year. “But yeah, the dinosaur thing is big right now. I can’t get those pyjamas off her except to go to school. I’m going to have to see if I can find similar ones and buy a couple more pairs for her. She needs some new ones anyway, those are almost too small. Maybe I’ll take her to do that tomorrow if we have time after we make Rex.”

“Aww, she’ll love that!” Franky heard the door open, and glanced up. She knew she always glared at whatever poor crew member they sent to tell her that her time was up for the night, but she couldn’t help it. “I gotta go, Gidge. I’m sorry. I love you so much.”

“It’s okay. I love you too, baby.” She kissed her fingers and held them up to the camera.

The brunette did the same before she ended the call.

Bridget was once again in the quiet of the house. After a minute, she heard Emily’s door open. The young girl didn’t come to the living room, but instead went into the master bedroom. The blonde didn’t think anything of it, she thought maybe Emily was tired and wanted to sleep early tonight, or she’d gone in to get her teddy bear. The blonde turned on the TV, and looked for a show they could watch together. Bridget decided that if she didn’t return in a few minutes, she’d go in and check on her.

The blonde had just found a show she thought they’d both enjoy when she heard Emily’s footsteps in the hallway again.

“Can you paint my nails with this?” She handed Bridget a bottle of black nail polish as she climbed up to sit beside her on the couch.

The blonde turned the bottle over in her hand. “Where did you get this?” She knew where it came from, but she wanted to see if her niece was going to lie to her.

“It’s Franky’s.” Emily looked up at Bridget, hoping she’d accept the half answer.

“Yes, I know. I asked where you got it from.” The fact that the young girl had avoided giving a straightforward answer told her she knew what she’d done. “Where?” Bridget asked again when she still didn’t get an answer.

Emily shrugged.

The blonde sat in silence, maintaining eye contact with the young girl. She could wait this out as long as she had to.

“The drawer,” Emily said quietly.

“The one I told you not to look through the other night?” Bridget watched as she nodded. “Why did you think it was okay to look through it tonight?”

“I just wanted to use the nail polish.” She was starting to realize that her aunt wasn’t happy with her.

“The things in that drawer belong to Franky, and you know the rule about using stuff that belongs to other people. You have to ask first.” This was something Emily had previously been pretty good about, so Bridget wondered why she had ignored it tonight.

“She’s not here. I can’t ask her. And I wanted to paint them tonight!”

“Love, you were just talking to her, and you talk to her almost every night. You can’t ignore the rules just because it means you might have to wait.” The blonde could tell her niece was starting to get upset.

“I didn’t know I wanted to when I was talking to her!” The young girl’s bottom lip started to quiver. “I’m sorry. Can you paint them now?”

“Not tonight.” She shook her head.

“Why? I said I was sorry.” The tears were threatening to spill from her eyes now.

“You did something you knew you weren’t supposed to do, so there has to be a consequence for that. You’re not allowed to use her polish.” Bridget leaned forward and placed the bottle on the coffee table.

“Can I use it tomorrow?” Emily looked at the bottle, then at her aunt.

“No. If you had asked first, and she said ‘yes’, then I’d let you use it, but you took it without asking. If you want to paint your nails, then you’ll have to use some of your birthday money to buy your own bottle.” Bridget hoped she wasn’t being too harsh. She knew the girl had some money left that Liz had given her for her birthday, and it was a good time to start teaching her that if she wanted something frivolous like that, and there wasn’t a holiday or special occasion coming up, then she needed to use her own money. Of course, Bridget and Franky would always make sure she had anything she needed, but a bottle of nail polish wasn’t a necessity.

The young girl didn’t say anything, but Bridget could tell she was upset.

“Do you want to watch this show with me before bedtime?” The blonde pointed to the TV screen.

“No,” Emily said, shaking her head. “I want to go to bed.”

She didn’t wait for Bridget’s reply. She got off the couch, and went down the hallway. 

The blonde leaned to the side to see which room she went in. She saw her niece hesitate for a moment, then turn into the master bedroom. She heard the rustle of the blankets, and knew that she’d settled into their bed for the night.

Bridget chose another show, and pushed ‘play’. She figured that Emily needed some time alone right now, but she’d go in with her after she watched one episode.

“Are you mad at me?” the young girl asked as Bridget crawled under the covers on her side of the bed.

“No, I’m not. It’s my job now to teach you certain things, so that you know what’s okay, and what’s not, when you get older.” Bridget didn’t ever want her niece to think that she was doing something simply out of anger. That’s why she had chosen the word consequence, instead of punishment, when they talked earlier.

“I’m sorry.” Emily moved to cuddle against her aunt.

“I know.” Bridget brushed a strand of hair out of the young girl’s face, before she put her arms around her. “Let’s get some sleep. It’s been a long day.”

********

“Ready to make Rex?” Bridget asked. They had just finished breakfast, and she wanted to get an early start so they could go shopping.

“Yeah!” Emily said excitedly as she took a seat beside Bridget at the table.

“I found some pictures to help us.” The blonde placed her iPad on the table so they could both see it.

“First we need to get this nice and soft.” Bridget unwrapped the block of clay, and broke it in half. “You have to squish it in your hands like this.” She showed the young girl how to do it.

After a minute, the blonde could see that Emily was struggling a bit.

“My hands are tired,” the young girl said, placing her piece of clay on the table in front of her aunt.

“Here, let’s trade.” Bridget handed Emily the piece of clay she’d been working with, and picked up the one on the table in front of her. 

It didn’t take them long to finish their project, and once they had eaten lunch, Bridget decided they should make the trip to the store to get Emily some new clothes.

“I need you to go change out of your pyjamas so we can go to the store,” Bridget said as she cleared their dishes off the table.

“But I want to wear dinosaurs.” Emily held onto handfuls of her shirt as if someone was going to rip it away from her.

“I know, love, and I don’t mind if you want to wear them around the house all the time, but you can’t wear them outside.” The blonde crouched down and put her hands on the young girl’s shoulders. “And you can’t wear the same pair all the time, so I’m taking you to get new ones.”

“Ones with dinosaurs?” Emily started to cheer up.

“Sure, you can get whatever ones you want.” Bridget smiled at her.

“I don’t have anything else with dinosaurs.” The young girl looked down at her clothes.

“If you go change into something else just for a little while, then we can go out, and you can get new pyjamas and other stuff with them on it, okay?” The blonde now realized that Emily wasn’t saying she didn’t want to change out of the pyjamas, but that she didn’t want to wear something without a dinosaur on it.

“Okay.” Emily didn’t seem completely on board, but she started to walk to her room anyway.

********

“You have to stay close by while we’re in here.” Bridget had taken them to one of the bigger department stores, hoping that it would have lots of options for Emily to choose from. She felt the young girl take her hand, even though she hadn’t told her to.

The blonde led them to the girls section, then found the sleepwear.

“Let go of my hand and let’s look through the racks to see what’s here.” Bridget began flipping through the hangers on the rack. About halfway through, she was getting discouraged. She didn’t see anything that matched what they were looking for, and she noticed that Emily didn’t seem to have found anything yet either.

“There’s nothing here.” The young girl had looked through the entire rack, and not picked out anything she liked.

“Let’s look over here.” The blonde led her to the boys section of the clothing department. They had only just gotten there, when Bridget saw exactly what she was looking for. She picked up a T-shirt with a picture of Rex on the front. “Look at this, Em,” she said, holding up the shirt.

“It’s Rex!” She took the shirt from the blonde’s hand, but after the initial excitement, she was quiet.

“What’s wrong?” The blonde tilted her head to try and see Emily’s face better.

“It’s a boy’s shirt.” She held it out to her aunt.

“Do you like it?” Bridget hadn’t taken the shirt back from her yet.

“Yeah,” Emily said, quietly.

“That’s all that matters.”

“I’m allowed to wear it even though it’s for a boy?” The young girl looked up at her.

“Of course! It doesn’t matter if it says it’s for boys or girls, if you like it then you can wear it. So we’re getting that one?” Bridget pointed to the shirt that Emily was still holding.

“Yeah,” she said with a huge smile on her face.

“Good! Let’s look for some more.” The blonde draped the shirt over her arm, and led Emily to the next rack of clothes.

After they’d looked through everything, Emily ended up finding three more t-shirts, and three pairs of pyjamas that she liked.

“Do they have nail polish here?” the young girl asked on their way to the checkout.

“They do, yeah.” Bridget stopped walking since they were almost to the cosmetics section.

“Can I buy some?” Emily looked up at her aunt.

“Did you bring your money?” She watched as the young girl pulled a ten dollar bill from her pocket. “Okay, it’s just over here.”

Emily’s eyes widened when she saw the large selection of colors to choose from.

“I want black like Franky’s,” she said, carefully looking at each bottle.

“The first one in the second row, love.” Bridget wasn’t impatient, but she knew they’d be there a lot longer than necessary if she left Emily to find it on her own.

“Can I get two?” the young girl asked, picking up the bottle of black polish.

“Let’s figure it out. They cost three dollars each, so three plus three is how much?” The blonde knew that Emily had worked on math at this level for her homework, so she wanted her to figure it out.

“Six.” Emily looked at the money in her hand. “I have ten. So I can get two.” 

“Very good. Which other color do you like?” She hoped she hadn’t just started a long debate.

“Bright green like Rex!” Emily’s attention shifted to the section with the neon shades, and she ended up picking one that was more a bright lime green than dinosaur green, but her aunt didn’t point out the difference.

“Alright, let’s go pay.” 

Bridget let Emily go first when they got to the checkout. The young girl was quiet on the way home, and when the blonde looked in the rearview mirror she could see her peeking into the bag of clothes they’d bought.

********

Bridget and Emily had had a fun afternoon and evening. Once they’d gotten home, the young girl had made Bridget wash and dry her new clothes right away so she could wear one of the new pairs of pyjamas to bed that night. Emily had then asked to watch Toy Story again while Bridget painted her nails, alternating between the black and green she’d chosen. When they were done, Emily called them her dinosaur nails.

They young girl had gone to bed, but Bridget was still awake, sitting on the couch. She was tired, but she wanted to tell Franky that Emily had agreed to be on the show. She decided to give it another half hour, and if there was no call by then, she’d assume that the brunette wasn’t going to be able to talk that night.

After about fifteen minutes, her phone vibrated on the couch cushion beside her.

“Hey, baby.” She smiled when Franky’s face appeared on the screen.

“Hey, Gidge. Sorry, it’s so late. We had a surprise service tonight. One of the Blue team went home though so now we’ve all got our black jackets!” The brunette tilted the phone a bit so Bridget could see what she was wearing.

“Hot. No worries, I’m glad it went well for you.” She couldn’t help the yawn that escaped her mouth. “So who’s left now?”

“Me, Lucas, Heather, Shayne, and Hank.” Franky listed off the names.

“Hank? Really?” Bridget had picked him as one to be voted off early.

“I know.” The brunette shrugged. “He’s an asshole, but apparently he can cook.”

“That’s surprising.” The older woman shook her head. “There’s something I need to tell you. Something happened the other night.” Bridget saw the look on Franky’s face. “It’s nothing that bad, but I want you to know. A few nights ago, I caught Emily looking in the drawer in your bedside table. I told her it wasn’t nice to look through people’s stuff and to close it, and she did. She never asked any questions about anything, so I left it at that.”

Franky nodded, but in her mind she was frantically trying to remember everything she had in there.

“Last night, she came out with your bottle of nail polish and asked me to paint her nails, so obviously she’d looked through it again. I told her she wasn’t allowed to use yours, and made her use some birthday money to get her own.” The blonde studied the younger woman’s face. She’d been quiet the whole time, but Bridget wanted to know what she was thinking.

“I would have let her use it if she’d asked, but I get the whole principle of it, and why you said she had to get her own. I’m just glad she didn’t ask about anything else she saw in there.” Franky let out a nervous laugh.

“She didn’t seem too concerned with it. She might ask someday, but she doesn’t care about it yet.” The blonde gave her a small smile.

“This parenting thing might give me a heart attack. I don’t think I can handle answering questions about sex.” The brunette’s eyes were wide.

Bridget gave a small giggle. “It’ll be okay, baby, I promise.” She saw Franky glare at someone off screen. “Time to go?”

“Yeah.” The brunette sighed. “I’ll try to call earlier tomorrow so I can talk to Em and she can show me her dinosaur nails.”

“You’ll probably get a fashion show too. She got lots of clothes today.” She gave the younger woman a sleepy smile.

“Excellent. Go get some sleep, Gidge, you look tired.” Franky blew her a kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Bridget returned the kiss, and when the screen went black, she made her way to the comfort of her bed.


	65. Chapter 65

“Franky!” Emily greeted the brunette with her usual enthusiasm.

“Hey, bub. Gidge.” Franky had been able to keep her promise to Bridget to call earlier that night so that Emily could show her the clothes she’d picked out. 

“I got my new pyjamas on!” The young girl stood up so that the brunette could see them better.

“Oh those are cool! I bet they’re comfy too.” Franky smiled as Emily nodded. “Show me what else you bought.”

One by one, the young girl showed the brunette each t-shirt and pair of pyjamas she’d picked out.

“And I got nail polish!” She held her fingers up close to the camera. “They’re dinosaur nails.”

“Ooo, I like the green! Auntie told me that you picked out some fun colors. Will you paint my nails like that for me when I get home?” Franky loved that Emily had chosen such a bold color.

“Yeah! Auntie Bridge painted mine for me,” the young girl said looking at her nails.

“Awesome! She did a good job.” The brunette noticed that Emily was a bit quieter now.

“I did something bad.” She looked at Bridget, then back to Franky.

“Yeah? Do you want to tell me about it?” The brunette was pretty sure she knew where Emily was going with this, and she felt her heart rate pick up a bit. ‘Please don’t ask me any questions’ was all that was going through her mind.

“I looked in your drawer, and Auntie told me not to, then I took your nail polish, and she said that wasn’t allowed and she wouldn’t let me use it. She said I had to ask you, but you weren’t here.” The young girl finished her whole story in one breath. “I’m sorry.”

“Auntie is right that you shouldn’t look through people’s things, and you shouldn’t take stuff without asking. I’m not mad, but now that you know it’s wrong, don’t do it again, okay?” Franky saw her nod. “If you see something of mine that you want to borrow while I’m away, ask Auntie. I’ll say it’s okay for her to let you use it, if you ask first.”

“Okay.” Emily gave her a small smile.

“Are you ready for school tomorrow?” The brunette didn’t want to dwell on that subject any more.

“Yeah! Auntie said I had to go back.” 

“That’s right. Promise me you’ll be brave and go back without getting upset again?” Franky didn’t want the blonde to have to go through another bad morning again.

“I promise.” The young girl said it so quickly that Franky only really half believed it.

Bridget tapped her niece on the arm, signalling that it was time for her to say goodbye to the brunette. After they exchanged goodnights, Emily went to the bathroom to have a shower.

“I didn’t think about the school thing,” Franky said with an apologetic look on her face. “She’s missed a couple days now either because she’s come to set to visit or she’s not felt well.”

“It’s okay. I talked to her teacher when this all started. She understands that it helps Em to be able to see you when she can. I’ve asked her to send home anything she’s missed that I can go over with her here. It’s worked out okay so far.” The blonde was glad that her teacher was so accommodating. “I didn’t tell her to tell you about the drawer.”

“She made that decision on her own?” The brunette saw Bridget nod. “Maybe that’s a good sign; she wants to be honest with us.”

“I think so, yeah.” The blonde sighed. “How are things in there?”

“Good, I guess. I think I’m sleeping a bit better now that there’s only me and Heather left in our room. It’s quieter.” The brunette wanted to add that ‘better’ by no means meant ‘good’. A good sleep wouldn’t happen again until she was at home in her own bed with Bridget beside her. “What about you, Gidge? How’s work been? You haven’t said a lot about it lately.”

“Nothing out of the ordinary, really. Vera asked if I wanted to take some family leave while you were away, but I thought it would just encourage Em to want to stay home. Besides, I don’t want to sit here alone all day.” The blonde knew what Franky was really asking though. “I haven’t seen Julia much. She’s supposed to be leaving the end of next week.” 

Franky nodded. “I’m going to do my best to get home to you guys sometime this week.”

“I know you always try your best.” Bridget gave her a warm smile. She knew the brunette put her whole self into everything she did, and she didn’t want her to feel extra pressure in these last couple weeks. She heard someone tell Franky it was time to go for tonight.

“I’m beginning to hate the person they send to do that,” the brunette mumbled.

“Don’t shoot the messenger, baby.” The blonde understood Franky’s sentiment exactly, but she didn’t let it show. “I love you.” She saw a flicker of a small grin appear on the younger woman’s face. She didn’t know if Franky realized it, but everytime Bridget told her that she loved her, the same quick grin would appear, no matter how upset she was.

“I love you too, babe.” 

********

“Franky, your partner has arrived on set, and is ready to meet you,” a crew member told the blonde.

“Okay, thanks.” She’d been in the walk-in fridge getting the last couple of ingredients for their station.

When she arrived, she saw a girl who was a year, maybe two, older than Emily waiting for her beside their spot at the long counter.

“Hey, I’m Franky.” The brunette smiled down at the girl.

“I’m Olivia.” She reached out her hand to Franky.

“Well, nice to meet you.” She returned Olivia’s handshake, a bit surprised at that gesture coming from a child that young.

“Okay, everyone. Listen up!” Jared waited at the front of the kitchen until he had everyone’s attention. “You’ll all be making the same recipe today, and myself, along with a special guest who’ll be here later on, will be evaluating the final product. Every good chef should not only know their craft, but should understand it, and be able to explain it. That’s what today’s challenge is all about. You’ll be teaching our young friends here, how to make a classic dish from scratch; spaghetti and meatballs. The pasta has been provided, but you’ll be making the meatballs, and the sauce. Remember, chefs, your main role today is instructing, not cooking. You should only be providing minimal help, and in cases where safety is a concern, so that no one gets injured. You have two hours, starting now!”

“Alright, so we have two things to make here.” Franky laid out the two recipe cards in front of them. Normally they wouldn’t have these in the kitchen, but they were allowed this time since they were working with kids. “We have the sauce, and then the meatballs. We’ll have to cook the spaghetti too, but that won’t be until close to the end. We should start with the sauce, because it needs time to simmer while we make the meatballs. So the first thing we do is cut these tomatoes into quarters, like this.” The brunette picked up one of the plum tomatoes and a knife and demonstrated it for the girl. She placed the knife on the counter in front of Olivia when she’d finished.

“Those tomatoes are small. My grandmother always uses the big ones for her sauces,” the girl said, inspecting the bowl of tomatoes on the counter.

“Yeah, some sauces use those, but this recipe calls for plum tomatoes, which are these small ones.” Franky reached out and moved the knife a bit closer to Olivia, hoping she’d pick it up and start cutting them. When she made no move, the brunette spoke again. “We really need to get started.”

Olivia picked up the knife with a sigh, and began to quarter the tomatoes.

“Do you like to cook with your grandmother?” Watching the girl work was a slow process, and it took everything in Franky not to take the knife and just do it herself, so she decided that some small talk might help to distract her.

“Yeah, she taught me everything. I’m going to be a chef someday,” Olivia said matter of factly.

“That’s great!” Franky always loved when kids told her they had found something they were passionate about. “Ready to move on to the next step?” she asked when she saw that the tomatoes were all cut.

Olivia nodded.

She managed to get the girl to chop the onion they needed as well, and begin to cook it in the pan. Once the onion was cooked they added in the tomatoes and spices, and left the sauce on the stove to simmer.

“Next we’ll do the meatballs.” Franky sat the bowl of ground beef in front of Olivia, and handed her a pair of gloves.

“Is this beef?” the girl asked, peering into the bowl.

“Yeah, it is. We need to add the spices and cheese.” The brunette wondered why Olivia was still just looking at the meat.

“My grandmother uses half ground beef and half sausage meat. She says it makes them juicer. All beef is too dry.” She looked at Franky as if she expected her to change the recipe and do it her way.

“Well, today, we’re using beef.” Franky continued before the girl had a chance to say anything more. “We should measure out all the spices, and the cheese, into this bowl, then we can mix them in with the meat.” She placed a smaller bowl beside the other one.

She helped Olivia with some of the measurements for the spices.

“Okay, now it says we need two ounces of parmesan cheese. If you want to bring it over here to the scale, I’ll help you weigh it.” Franky knew that every scale was different, so even if the girl had used one before, it may not have worked like this one. When she turned, she noticed Olivia hadn’t followed her. “What’s wrong?”

“There’s no parmesan cheese here.” She crossed her arms.

“Yeah, there is.” The brunette knew it was there. She’d seen it just seconds ago.

“This?” Olivia asked, holding up a wedge of cheese.

“Yeah, that’s it. Bring it over here.” Franky motioned for the girl to come to her.

“This,” Olivia said in a know-it-all way, holding the block of cheese up. “Is not parmesan. Parmesan comes in a can and is like a powder.”

“That’s parmesan. Trust me.” The brunette didn’t know whether to laugh or be pissed off at the girl’s attitude.

“No, it’s not. Are you really a chef?” the girl asked, placing the cheese back on the counter and crossing her arms.

Franky glanced over towards where Shayne and his partner Ella were working, and saw him watching in disbelief at the girl’s question.

“Yeah, I am. I’ve been a chef probably longer than you’ve been alive.” She walked back to the counter, and bent down so she was eye level with Olivia. “Let me tell you something, some free advice. You listening?” Franky watched as the girl nodded. She looked slightly scared, and the brunette knew there was an edge in her voice, but Olivia needed to hear this, and the sooner someone said it to her, the better. “You want to be a chef? Well guess what, there’s a lot to be learned, and you haven’t learnt it all yet, no matter how much your grandma has taught you. Even after you finish culinary school and start working, you start at the bottom. There’s more than one way to do things, and you learn from those above you who’ve been there longer. If you ever spoke to a head chef the way you just did to me, you’d be looking for a new job pretty quickly. Now pick up the cheese, and come with me.”

The brunette started walking, and once again, the girl didn’t follow behind. Franky turned back, and saw Jared talking to her.

“Go on, it’s alright.” He gave Olivia a reassuring smile. He knew where the brunette was taking her.

Franky continued on her way once she saw that the girl had started to walk. She led her into the walk-in fridge.

“What does this say?” the brunette asked, taking a wheel of cheese from one of the shelves and holding it so that Olivia could see the label on it.

“Parmesan,” she said, quietly.

“Right, and does that look the same as what you have in your hand?” Franky waited while she compared the two.

“Yeah.” Olivia hung her head.

“Okay, so let’s go finish cooking.” She placed the wheel of cheese back on the shelf before following the girl back into the kitchen.

Things went along smoothly from then on, and they were just getting ready to form their meatballs, when Franky heard a commotion come from the other side of the counter beside where Emily was working with Shayne.

“No! Not like that! Do it how I showed you like two seconds ago.” 

“Hank! What’s going on?” Jared knew he needed to get this under control quickly.

“He doesn’t do what I fucking tell him to!” Hank’s voice was raised even more now.

“Ooo, Ella, that’s a bad word, don’t say that, okay?” Shayne told her with a small grin. “He has to put a quarter in the swear jar now.”

Ella giggled.

“Fuck you, Shayne.” Hank spat out.

“That’s two quarters now,” Shayne said quietly, holding up two fingers to the young girl, who giggled again.

“Hank, you’re out of the kitchen. Go back to the dorms and we’ll talk later.” Jared had seen enough.

“Fucking stupid challenge,” he mumbled on his way out.

“That’s three,” Shayne said a little louder this time.

Franky looked over and saw that the young boy Hank had been working with was now in tears. She walked around the end of the counter, picked up the bowl of their meatball mixture and their pan, and brought it back to where she was working with Olivia. She walked back around to where the boy was still standing.

“What’s your name?” she asked, crouching down to his eye level.

“Liam,” he answered in between shaky breaths. “He didn’t show me anything. He just said make a meatball, but I’ve never made one before.”

“It’s okay.” Franky reached out, intending just to rub his arm to try to comfort him a bit, but as soon as she did, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. “Shh, it’s alright.” The brunette rubbed his back. “How about you come work with us, and we’ll get them finished up?”

“Okay.” Liam let go of her, and wiped his eyes.

“Shayne, can you keep an eye on their sauce?” the brunette asked as she led the boy around the end of the counter.

“I’m on it.” Shayne stepped to the side and stirred the sauce in the pot while Ella worked on making their meatballs.

Franky grabbed a pair of gloves for herself, and a new pair for Liam since he had taken his off when he got upset.

“Alright,” she looked at the kids on each side of her. “I’ll make a couple with you guys, then you can finish them up.”

She picked up a small amount of the meat mixture, and showed them each how to roll it between the palms of their hands to form a ball. Once she had demonstrated it a couple times, she got them to make one on their own.

“Those both look good. Keep going until you run out of meat. I’m going to get the water boiling for the spaghetti.” The pot was far too large and heavy for either Olivia or Liam to lift, so Franky assigned that task to herself.

The head of the network happened to be on set that day, observing.

“Are you seeing this?” He leaned over and said quietly to Jillian, pointing in the direction of Franky and the two kids.

“Yep.” She had a feeling they were thinking the same thing.

“Just file that bit of information away for later.” He sat back up straight in his chair, and continued to watch the contestants work.

The guest judge actually ended up being two local children’s entertainers. They were very generous with their evaluations, and gave most of the dishes an eight or nine out of ten with only a couple of exceptions. Their two scores, along with Jared’s score were averaged to give a final number.

In the end, it was Ella and Shayne who came out on top, edging out Franky and Olivia by less than a point. 

“Congratulations Shayne and Ella, you’ll each receive a Melbourne unlimited attractions pass, good for four people. It provides access to over twenty local attractions including the Sea Life aquarium, Melbourne zoo, Melbourne river cruises, Legoland, and even the Melbourne ghost tour. Something very nice to enjoy with your families or friends.” Jared handed each of them an envelope that contained the passes.

The rest of the contestants and the crew started to clear out quickly after they were done filming the segment, and Franky was saying goodbye to Liam.

“Hey.” Shayne came over to join the brunette and the young boy. “Don’t pay attention to anything Hank said today, okay?” He saw Liam nod, and figured that Franky had probably been telling the young boy the same thing before he’d joined them. “Here.” He held out his envelope. “I think you’ll enjoy these more than I will.”

“Thank you!” he said excitedly before running off to find his mother.

“Softie.” Franky nudged the young man with her elbow. 

“Well, Hank’s an asshole.” He shrugged and left it at that.

“Alright, guys, I’ll need you back over in front of the kitchens,” Jillian said as she passed by them. “Jared wants to film a segment. Shouldn’t take long.”

“Hank, give me one good reason why I shouldn’t send you home right now.” The chef put his hands behind his back, and stepped forward.

“This wasn’t an elimination challenge,” Hank said, smugly.

Jared stepped forward a couple more steps so that he was now only about a foot away from Hank.

“When you wear that black jacket, I expect that you treat every challenge like it’s an elimination challenge.” The chef held the other man’s stare, neither of them wanting to back down. “I’ll say it again, give me one good reason why I shouldn’t send you home right now.”

“I had a stupid kid. It wasn’t my fault I couldn’t work with him,” he shrugged.

“He wasn’t stupid.” Franky spoke up from her spot between him and Shayne.

“How would you know?” Hank turned his attention to the brunette.

“Because I brought him over with me after you got kicked out.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “He just needed to be shown what to do.”

“I showed him what to do!” He was beginning to raise his voice.

“No, you didn’t. I was standing right beside you, mate.” Shayne spoke up, taking Franky’s side.

“I told you before, I’m not your fucking mate!” Hank spat out. “I got a shitty, stupid kid, and you got a perfect one. That’s the only reason why you won. And you,” he jabbed a finger at Franky’s face. “Have been an arrogant bitch since the beginning.”

“Hey! Back off!” Shayne stepped around the brunette, putting himself between her and Hank.

“You’re defending her, are you? The protector, huh? You always did have a soft spot for her. Your little late night talks outside. Making meals for her. She’s not going to fuck you, no matter how hard you try.” Hank smiled, and shook his head. “She’s a dyke. You knew that, right?” He took a step closer so that their chests were almost touching.

“At least I’m not getting eliminated for throwing a temper tantrum in the kitchen. Not even any of the kids did that, mate.” Shayne emphasized the last word.

The brunette turned her head back just in time to see Hank pull back his fist.

“Shayne!” She grabbed onto the young man’s jacket and pulled him to the side.

There was no stopping Hank’s fist though, and it landed square on Franky’s cheekbone.

She stumbled, and felt Shayne’s arms around her, stopping her from falling completely.

“Shit!” Hank immediately regretted his decision. He stepped forward to check on the brunette.

“Just fuck off, Hank!” Shayne made sure she was steady on her feet before he let go.

“Fucking hell, I haven’t been hit like that in a long time.” Franky checked her hand to see if there was any blood on it.

“Alright, Franky, go back to the dorms and see the medic. Put some ice on that. Hank, give me your jacket.” Jared wanted this to be over as soon as possible.

Hank opened his mouth to protest.

“It’s out of my hands. You got violent with another contestant, show rules say you’re out. Jacket please.” The chef held out his hand.

Hank ripped off his jacket and threw it on the ground before storming off the set.

Franky was sitting on the couch with Shayne when Jillian arrived.

“You alright? What did the medic say?” she asked, as she sat down in one of the armchairs.

“Yeah, all good. Just some bruising.” The brunette lifted the ice pack to show a small purple area on her cheekbone.

“Good. There’s some time now if you’d like to call home.” They weren’t doing interviews until later that night, but Jillian knew that no one would question where Franky was for a while since Shayne was the only one who knew she was back from seeing the medic.

“Sure, thanks.” The brunette got up, and followed the producer to the interview room.

Franky decided to text Bridget before she called her. It was late enough in the day that she’d be home with Emily by now, and the brunette wanted the chance to explain the bruise on her face to her before the young girl saw it.

_To: Gidge  
Hey, I'm going to call in a minute. I’d like to talk to you alone first, but if you can’t get  
away from Em, make sure the video stays off. I’ll explain later. X._

Franky waited a couple of seconds before she got a reply back, saying that Emily was watching something on TV, so she’d go out on the patio and wait for her to call.

“Hey, babe,” the brunette said quietly when Bridget appeared on her screen.

“Franky….what happened?” The blonde shielded her screen from the sun in order to try and get a better view of Franky’s face. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just got a bit of a headache. I got punched. Well, more like I got in the way of a punch.” Franky saw Bridget shake her head, indicating that she didn’t understand what that meant. “Shayne and Hank got in an argument during filming. Hank went to punch Shayne and I tried to stop him and ended up getting it instead.”

“Baby…” The blonde didn’t know what else to say. She was glad that the younger woman hadn’t really been involved in the incident, but the bruise looked like it hurt, and she hated seeing her in pain.

“I’m okay, Gidge, really.” She gave Bridget a weak, unconvincing smile. “I just wanted to tell you what happened so you’d know what was going on before Em sees me.”

“That was probably a good idea. You can talk to her now if you have time. It might be better for her not to find out right before bedtime.” The blonde thought that at least if Emily found out now, then it would give her a few hours to talk about it that evening if she wanted.

“Sure, everyone thinks I’m still with the medic.” Franky gave her a small nod.

“Okay, I’ll go get her, and maybe just give her a head’s up before she sees you.” Bridget placed her phone face down on the cushion of the lounge chair while she went inside to get her niece. “Em, love, Franky’s on the phone if you’d like to talk to her.” She saw the young girl’s face light up. “I want to tell you something first though. She had a little accident at work, and there’s a bruise on her cheekbone, but she’s totally okay, alright?”

“Okay.” Emily nodded.

The blonde picked up her phone, and she and Emily sat down together on the edge of the lounge chair.

“Franky, Auntie said you were hurt.” The young girl studied the brunette’s face.

“It’s just a little bruise. It’ll be gone in a couple of days.” Franky gave her a smile.

“What happened?” Emily asked.

The brunette explained what had happened just like she had earlier to the blonde. The young girl seemed satisfied with her explanation. 

“I don’t want you to get hurt again,” the young girl said softly.

“I won’t. They made him go home because he broke the rules.” Franky continued. “So you’re not going to worry about me anymore while I’m here, right?” The brunette didn’t want any sleepless nights, or school morning arguments happening over this.

“Okay,” Emily whispered quietly.

“Promise me, bub,” Franky said in a serious voice..

“I promise.” 

“Good.” No one had come to tell her that her time was up yet, but her head was starting to pound. She’d initially refused painkillers, but now she was thinking she’d need to ask for some. “I love you very much.”

“I love you, too.” Emily gave her a smile.

Bridget took Franky’s goodbye to the young girl as a signal that she was ready to go, so she said her goodbye as well.

Her phone vibrated just seconds after they’d hung up.

_ From: Franky  
Sorry to take off, but this headache is getting worse fast. I’m going to get some  
meds, then lay down. If I don’t call later, I’ve fallen asleep and I’ll call tomorrow.   
I love you. Xo_

The blonde could tell that the younger woman wasn’t feeling as well as she’d let on.

_ To: Franky  
No worries, look after yourself and get some rest!! I love you, too. Xo._

There was no crew member there to take her phone back, so she wandered for a minute before she found Jillian.

“Can I get something for a headache?” she asked as she handed her phone over.

“Sure.” The producer got the attention of one of the crew members. “Can you take her to see the medic then back to the dorms? Thanks.”

When Franky got back, she grabbed a pair of trackies and a t-shirt, and headed to the shower. She liked that for the last bit, they’d all pretty much had their own private bathrooms, and she could leave her stuff in there. It made it feel a little less like she was away from home.

She stood under the hot water, letting it hit the back of her neck and run down her back. She thought it wasn’t so much the actual injury to her face that was causing the headache, but the fact that her head had snapped to the side and the muscles in her neck were now tense and stiff. 

She had her eyes closed, and forehead resting against the cool tile on the wall. The warmth of the water, combined with the soothing sound of it hitting the floor was relaxing her to the point where she felt herself start to drift off. She decided it was time to get out, and her bed was looking very inviting.

She dropped her chef jacket and pants into the laundry, and put on the clothes she’d brought with her. On her way across the hallway to her room, she spotted Shayne out of the corner of her eye, and gave him a small wave.

When her back hit the mattress, she let out a sigh. Most of the time she didn’t find this bed all that comfortable, but right now, it felt like heaven. She could feel the painkillers starting to kick in both because the headache was starting to ease, and because there was a sleepy feeling coming over her. She knew they weren’t supposed to make you drowsy, but she rarely took any meds, and she always found that that was a side effect for her. She pulled the blankets up to her chin as she rolled onto her side.

“Franks?” Shayne’s voice was soft, not wanting to startle her.

“Mm?”

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I’ll leave you to sleep.” He reached up for the light switch to turn them off for her.

“You can stay. Come lay down.” She pointed to the empty bed next to hers. When she opened her eyes, it took her a few seconds to adjust to the darkness, then she saw his outline walk to the other bed and lay down. She could smell his body wash when he walked past her, and figured he must have gone and showered as well. _Bridget’s is better._

Shayne was silent for a minute.

“Listen, I want to talk to you about what Hank said.” He took a deep breath. “When he said you’d never sleep with me. I just wanted to say that that was never why I was nice to you, or liked hanging out with you. I’ve never looked at you in that way.”

“I know. I never thought that you did. He’s just a dick.” Franky mumbled, and dismissed the thought with a small wave of her hand.

“Okay, I just like feel like we get each other, we’re mates, ya know. It feels more like you’re my big sis or something.” He heard a soft snore come from the other bed, and smiled to himself. “Goodnight Franks.”

He got up, walked quietly across the room, and closed the door as softly as he could behind him, leaving the brunette to sleep.


	66. Chapter 66

“Alright, love, here’s your breakfast.” Bridget sat a bowl of cereal and a small dish of fruit in front of the young girl. The cereal was some sugary thing that Franky always bought, and Emily had insisted on getting when she went to the store with her aunt. The compromise was that she had to eat some fruit with it.

“I don’t want it. I don’t feel good.” Emily pushed the bowl away from her.

“Come on, just try some.” The blonde knew that Emily wasn’t sick. She’d had trouble sleeping last night, and had needed reassurance a couple of times that Franky was still okay.

The young girl shook her head.

“Okay.” Bridget picked up the dish of fruit and took it back to the kitchen. “Go get washed up and dressed if you don’t want to eat then.”

The blonde wasn’t going to force her to eat only to have her end up throwing up again. She dumped the fruit into a container, and placed it in Emily’s lunch bag. The cereal already had milk on it, so it would most likely end up in the garbage.

“Can we stay home today?” Emily asked as she came back into the kitchen.

“No, you promised me and Franky you’d go back to school today. Besides, you have to take Rex. You want to show him to your classmates, right? You worked hard on him.” Bridget gave her a smile. “Ooo, I love the shirt you picked!” The young girl had chosen her Rex t-shirt, the blonde assumed, to go along with her presentation.

“It’s Rex!” Emily giggled, as she sat down at the table again with her aunt.

“Let’s try a bit of cereal now.” Bridget placed the bowl back in front of the young girl. She began eating with no argument this time, and the blonde couldn’t help but smile to herself.

********

“Franky!” 

“Heyyy!” the brunette laughed. She loved the way that Emily always greeted her as if she were surprised to see her face appear on the screen. “How was school? Did everybody love Rex?”

“Yeah, and they liked my shirt too! It was the Rex one.” She had taken up Franky’s habit of changing into more comfortable clothes to lay around the house in as soon as she got home, so she was in her pyjamas now.

“Aww, that’s awesome! It wasn’t so bad talking in front of everyone, right?” The brunette had known that Emily would be fine.

"It was okay. Does your face hurt?" The young girl moved in closer to the screen so she could see Franky's face better.

"Just a little, but only if I touch it." That was a lie. She'd had a dull headache all morning, and it hurt slightly everytime she blinked her eyes.

"You're okay?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Franky gave her a small smile. She was touched by the young girl's concern.

Bridget tapped Emily on the shoulder, and she and the brunette said their goodnights.

"She's been okay?" Franky asked, once Emily had left.

"Yeah, she needed some reassurance last night, but things were okay today." The blonde left out the part about her trying to get out of going to school that morning. It was only a half-hearted attempt, and nothing more came of it, so she didn't want Franky to worry about it.

"Okay, good." If Franky had a chance to do it over, she would have tried to de-escalate the situation earlier.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Bridget had seen through the brunette's earlier lie.

"A bit, yeah." Franky said softly.

"Are you alright?" The older woman sensed that maybe there was something else bothering the brunette.

"Yeah, just a little, I don't know, amped up. There's another challenge thing tomorrow, and there's only four of us left. It just seems like it's higher stakes now, I guess." Franky sighed. "The services are going pretty smoothly now, so I'm thinking the challenges are going to be both reward, and elimination."

"I know it must be stressful, but just do your best, baby. We're all very proud of you. Liz and Vera ask for updates all the time." Bridget was happy to see the smile that appeared on the brunette's face. The airing of the episodes had been pushed back by the network, so Liz and Vera relied on her to know if Franky was still in it or not.

"I just want this so I can look after you, and Emily, and Liz, and hopefully a baby." Franky took a deep breath. She knew that starting a restaurant was a lot of hard work, but she knew she could be successful.

"You already look after us." The blonde waited until the younger woman made eye contact with her. "We all know that, and feel it."

Franky nodded slowly. "I just want to make sure." She glanced up over the screen of her phone. "Fuck. I have to go. I love you, babe."

"I love you, too. Just try to relax tomorrow. You're good at what you do." Bridget blew her a kiss.

"Thanks. I'll try." The brunette blew her a kiss in return.

********

"Good afternoon, everyone! Today, we are doing one of the challenges I have been looking forward to the most. I'm calling it 'Make It Gourmet'. Each of you will choose an envelope and inside will be a classic dish that you will have to turn into something that could be featured on the menu in a fine dining restaurant. Heather, you're up first." Jared stepped aside so she could pick her envelope.

Heather opened the envelope, and read what was on the card inside. "Sausage rolls."

"Nice one! Lots of possibilities there. Franky, you're next." Jared called the brunette to the front.

"Grilled cheese," Franky said, reading from her card. She was already working through the options in her mind.

Shayne ended up getting shepherd's pie, and Lucas chose chicken soup.

"You have one hour. Good luck everyone." Jared started the timer, and two chefs moved into each kitchen and began working.

The brunette took her time looking through the ingredients in the pantry and walk-in fridge. She knew she wouldn't need long to cook her dish, and since that part was fairly simple, she felt like she'd need something extra special to pull off a win. Most of the time a grilled cheese was just butter, bread, and cheese. She knew some people used some mayo, and she chose artisan breads and cheeses. She felt like she needed more though. She grabbed an onion, and on her way out the door, something else caught her eye. She took some prosciutto with her as well. She wasn't sure what she was going to do with it, but it could be the something she was looking for.

Franky decided to do a test run of her idea. If it worked out, she still had time to make another for the judging part. She diced some onions, and added them, along with butter, olive oil, rosemary, and thyme, into a pan she had heated. Once the onions had almost cooked, she added in a bit of brown sugar, cooked them for another couple of minutes, then put them aside on a plate.

Next, she cut two slices of bread, and spread one side of each slice with mayo. She added a bit more butter and rosemary to the pan, and when it had melted, she placed the bread in, mayo side down. She added thin slices of white cheddar, gruyere, and muenster cheeses. When the cheese started to melt, she sprinkled a few of the onions on one slice, and placed some prosciutto on the other. She checked to make sure the bread was turning a nice golden brown, then put the two halves together, and turned the heat down to low. 

When she felt like the cheese had melted enough, and the onions and prosciutto had warmed, she took it out of the pan, and placed it on a plate.

“Here, try this.” Franky cut the sandwich in half and held the plate out to Shayne.

“Damn, Franks! This is amazing!” he said with his mouth full, and still chewing.

“I should make another one for Jared?” the brunette asked with a laugh.

“Oh yeah, definitely. Actually, make two. I want another one,” Shayne said as he shoved the last bite into his mouth.

Franky smiled and shook her head as she began working.

She was just plating her final product when Jared signalled that time was up. She carefully arranged the food before carrying it up to the front of the kitchen.

“Our guest judge today will be the food critic from the Foodlife network magazine, Jacob Warren. Alright, Franky, we’ll start with you since grilled cheese doesn’t do well when it sits around. Tell us what you’ve done here.” He took the dome cover off her dish.

“This is a grilled cheese with muenster, white cheddar, and gruyere, along with caramelized onions and prosciutto. On the outside I used mayo instead of butter on the bread, and it was browned in the pan with a rosemary infused butter.” The brunette hoped she hadn’t left anything out.

“Sounds delicious, let’s see how it tastes.” Jared picked up a piece of the sandwich and took a bite. “Very nice. I like the sweetness of the onion with the cheese and the saltiness of the prosciutto. Jacob?”

‘I agree. I like that you used mayo instead of butter. It gives it a bit of a kick. I could definitely see this on a fine dining lunch menu.” He gave Franky a smile.

“Well done.” Jared handed her back the plate. “Lucas, let’s have yours next.”

The judges tasted all four dishes. In the end, it was up to the food critic to decide who had most successfully elevated their simple dish to gourmet status.

“They were all very well executed, but I have to say I was most impressed with the grilled cheese.” Jacob gave a small nod in Franky’s direction.

“And is there one you don’t think would make it onto a fine dining menu?” The chef looked at the other three contestants as he asked the question.

“Unfortunately, I’d have to say the sausage rolls. They were very good, but other than changing up the spices a bit, I didn’t see a lot of difference from the regular dish.” The critic gave Heather an apologetic smile.

“Right, so Franky, you’ve won a two-day Yarra Valley wine tour with a stay at a luxury vineyard resort along the way. Unfortunately, Heather, this was also an elimination challenge, so I’ll have to ask you for your jacket now.” He held out his hand.

Shayne nudged the brunette with his elbow, and gave her a smile. He knew that this meant that she’d be going home to spend the weekend with her family.

********

It was Saturday morning, and Franky had woken up even earlier than usual. She had decided to keep her visit home a secret from Emily, but she’d told Bridget during one of their phone calls. It had to look to the other contestants that she was going on the wine tour, so she threw a few clothes into a small bag along with her toothbrush. They hadn’t given her a time when she was supposed to leave, and she figured the sooner she got out of there, the more time she got to spend at home, so she picked up her bag, and headed for the set exit.

“Good morning Ms. Doyle,” the receptionist at the desk greeted her. “Ms. Banks thought you might want to leave early, so she left your personal belongings here. There’s your mobile, and your car keys.” She took the items from a drawer, and placed them on top of the desk. “She’s also asked me to remind you not to discuss the details of the show with anyone, and to be back here by eight on Sunday evening.”

“Got it. Thanks!” Franky grabbed the items off the desk, and hurried out the door.

This would be her first time home in almost a month, and she had to remind herself to pay attention to the road, and not let her excitement distract her.

The brunette pulled into the driveway, and turned off the car. The neighborhood was always quiet this time of the morning on the weekends. As she made her way inside the house, she was careful to be as quiet as possible, 

She shut the door behind her quietly, and listened for any sounds. She wasn’t surprised not to hear any. It was barely after seven. Franky took off her shoes, and walked softly down the hallway towards their bedroom. She pushed open the door. It was dark in the room, but she could just make out Bridget and Emily still fast asleep. The blonde was on her side of the bed with Emily cuddled against her, occupying the middle space. 

The brunette smiled to herself. She was so happy to finally be home. She had thrown on a pair of trackies and an oversized t-shirt when she’d woken up that morning, so she didn’t bother to change before she crawled in under the covers, careful not to disturb either of them. She watched them both sleep for a couple of minutes, then closed her eyes. She was sure that the young girl wouldn’t let her miss anything once she woke up.

Bridget felt herself wake, and was vaguely aware of Emily laying against her. No matter where her niece started out in the bed, she was usually right next to her by the time morning came.

The blonde opened her eyes, and lifted her head to look at the clock. When she saw Franky laying on the other side of the bed, she blinked to make sure she was actually awake. She knew the brunette was coming home for the weekend, but she wasn’t expecting her nearly this early. When she’d learned that Franky was coming home, she’d planned a little surprise for her. She wondered how long it would take her to notice the change she’d made. She felt Emily stir beside her.

“Auntie Bridge?” The young girl’s voice was still thick with sleep.

“I’m here, love,” Bridget said as she brushed a strand of hair from Emily’s face. “I have a surprise for you, but you need to promise to stay very quiet, okay?” She figured maybe the young girl’s excitement would be lowered by the fact that she was barely awake.

Emily nodded. “Okay.”

“Look who’s on the other side of the bed,” The blonde whispered in her ear.

Emily turned to look behind her, then quickly looked back at her aunt. “Franky!” she said with a huge smile on her face.

“Mhm. You can wake her, but be gentle.” Bridget smiled when she saw the joy on the young girl’s face.

Emily turned over, and moved closer to the brunette. “Franky,” she said, placing her hand on the brunette’s cheek. “Franky, wake up!”

The young girl moved her face in closer. Franky was awake, but she was waiting another second before she opened her eyes.

“I’m awake,” she said, opening her eyes wide, and startling the young girl.

Emily’s squeal of surprise quickly turned to a giggle as Franky pulled her into her arms for a tight hug.

“I’ve missed you, bub,” the brunette said as she gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I’ve got an idea. I think we should all go out for breakfast at Crème in Port Melbourne.”

“Yeah! Can we Auntie Bridge?” Emily looked behind her at Bridget.

“Sure! You go get washed up and dressed. We’ll be out in a few minutes.” The blonde watched as the young girl climbed over Franky and onto the floor. “Close the door behind you, please.”

“I missed you, too.” The brunette pulled the other woman closer. She placed her hand behind Bridget’s head to pull her in for a kiss and hesitated.

The blonde saw the look on Franky’s face. She never said anything, but just waited patiently for the younger woman to figure it out.

“You cut your hair,” the brunette said, studying Bridget’s face.

“I did. Do you like it?” she asked, giving Franky a barely-there kiss.

The brunette was quiet, but Bridget felt her bury her fingers into the now much shorter hair at the back of her head. She felt the younger woman’s grip tighten, and she allowed her head to be pulled backwards, exposing her neck. The blonde felt Franky’s lips on the side of her neck, caressing her skin as she made her way down, and then up again towards her jaw.

“Yep, still works for me.” The brunette gave a small laugh as she placed a soft kiss on the older woman’s lips, and loosened her grip on her hair. 

Bridget laughed. “Good.”

Franky smiled as she slid her hand down the blonde’s side, then around into the back of her pants.

“Save it for tonight, baby.” The older woman gave her a kiss. “Then you can do whatever you want to me.”

“Naughty, Gidge.” The brunette gave a small laugh. She heard Emily leave her room, and walk through the hallway towards the kitchen. “That’s our cue to get up and change.”

Bridget could feel Franky’s eyes on her as she took off her pyjamas then got dressed. She smiled to herself, and made sure to take a little extra time picking out her outfit for the day.

“Thinking about what you want to do to me?” the blonde asked when she looked over her shoulder and saw the younger woman sitting on the bed watching her with her socks still in her hand.

Franky’s only response was the small grin that Bridget had come to love.

What the brunette didn’t say was that she was surprised by how much she liked the other woman with short hair. She’d never tried to picture her with it before, but she could see it better now that they were out of bed, and she thought it looked really good on her. It even crossed her mind that maybe it suited the older woman better than her long hair.

********

It wasn’t long before they’d made it to the small café, and Franky was glad to see that it wasn’t too busy. 

“Can we sit in the corner?” Emily asked, pointing to a booth with an L-shaped bench along two sides of the table.

“Yeah, sure.” The brunette grabbed one of the boardgames off the bookshelf they passed on the way to the table.

Emily took a spot right at the corner of the table so that she could sit between the two women.

“Do you know how to play checkers?” Franky asked as she took her spot on the bench seat, and set the box on the table. She knew that it wasn’t one of the games they had at the house, but it was common, so she thought Emily might know how to play.

The young girl shook her head.

“Would you like to learn? One of us can help you, and you can play against the other.” The brunette began to unpack the game board.

“You teach me.” Emily looked up at Franky.

“Good morning! I’m Rachel. I’ll be your server today. Here are your menus, I’ll give you a few minutes with those, then I’ll be back to take your order.” She smiled as she placed a menu in front of each of them.

“Thanks,” Bridget said as she picked up her menu.

“What are you in the mood for, Em?” The brunette knew that the young girl would need help reading some of the items on the menu. She saw her shrug. “Well, there’s toast with eggs, or bacon and eggs, or pancakes with strawberries and cream, or granola. Any of that sound good?” There were lots of other options too, but Franky doubted that Emily would eat any of them. 

“Pancakes!” 

The brunette wasn’t surprised. They were one of Emily’s favorites. “What do you want to drink? There’s milk, juice, water, hot chocolate, iced te-”

“Hot chocolate!” The young girl was playing with the checkers they hadn’t set up yet.

“Good choice!” Franky scanned the menu, looking for something that caught her eye for herself.

When the waitress returned, Emily ordered her pancakes and hot chocolate, the brunette ordered the gypsy omelette with bounty coffee, and Bridget opted for the pulled pork eggs benedict with tea.

“I need to use the washroom,” the young girl announced, as Franky was setting out the checkers on the board.

“It’s right over there.” Bridget pointed to a door at the end of the small dining area. “Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, I can go alone.” Emily waited for the brunette to stand so that she could slide out from behind the table.

“Don’t let her win this game on purpose, Gidge.” Franky knew that the blonde was a softie sometimes when it came to letting her niece win the games they played, but the younger woman didn’t believe in doing that.

“I won’t.” Bridget leaned over the corner of the table, and gave the brunette a kiss on the cheek. When she sat back in her seat and glanced across the room, she saw that an older couple sitting two tables away were glaring at her and Franky. She gave them a small smile, but it wasn’t returned. “Baby,” she whispered quietly, moving to the corner of the bench so that she was a bit closer to the younger woman.

“Hmm?” The brunette had been lost in thought watching the people on the street pass by the large window at the front of the café.

“Kiss me.” The blonde placed her hand on Franky’s cheek, and gently turned the other woman’s head towards her.

The brunette didn’t question it. She didn’t need a reason, or excuse, to kiss her fiancée.

Bridget made sure it was a slow, sweet kiss. Nothing too over the top that it was inappropriate for where they were, but enough that it wouldn’t be mistaken for just a friendly kiss. When their lips parted, she glanced towards the couple, and saw the woman shake her head in disgust.

When Franky opened her eyes, she followed the blonde’s gaze, and saw the couple staring at them. The brunette soon realized what was going on, and stared right back at them, until the woman gave up and went back to eating her breakfast. 

When Emily returned from the washroom, Franky stood again, and let her back into her spot between them. The brunette explained the basic rules of the game, and they started to play while they waited for their food.

“That lady keeps looking at us,” Emily stated while she and Franky were waiting for the blonde to take her turn.

“I know, bub, Just ignore her.” The brunette pointed to the board to indicating that it was now the young girl’s turn.

After a few minutes, Franky saw the couple stand up to leave the café. The man went to the counter to pay the bill, but the woman headed towards their table.

“Shame on you!” The woman never stopped walking, but went out of her way to make sure they heard her homophobic comment.

“You have a good day as well.” Franky called after her in a cheery voice. She and Bridget shared a small grin.

“Why was she mad at you guys?” Emily looked between her aunt and the brunette.

“We can talk about it when we get home if you want,” Bridget said softly. It was a topic she didn’t want to gloss over with her niece, but she felt like it would be best to save the conversation for a time when they weren’t in public.

They just had time to finish their game before their food arrived. 

“What kind of coffee did you get? It smells really good.” The blonde peered into Franky’s coffee mug.

“Bounty coffee. It’s supposed to have a slight chocolate flavour and then they put coconut milk in it.” The brunette took a sip. “It’s really good.”

“Can I try it?” Emily looked at the mug in Franky’s hand.

“Are you sure? It’s not really like anything else you drink.” The brunette knew that coffee was a somewhat acquired taste, and Emily was probably too young to enjoy it.

“Yeah, I want to try it!” the young girl insisted.

“Okay, just take a small sip.” Franky held the mug down in front of Emily, and helped her take a small drink.

“That’s gross!” she said with a disgusted look on her face.

“Here, have a drink of your hot chocolate.” The brunette set the glass in front of Emily. She’d known the young girl wasn’t going to like the coffee.

When they’d finished their food, Emily asked to play another game of checkers before they left, which she won this time with very little help from Franky.

********

Emily had been quiet on the way home, but as soon as they’d gotten into the house, she asked again why the woman at the café had been mad at them.

“Come here, love.” Bridget took her by the hand, and led her over to sit with her on the couch, with Franky not far behind. “A lot of the time, when people fall in love, the couple is a man and a woman, like your mom and dad. Sometimes though, it can be two women, like myself and Franky, or it can be two men. Some people don’t think it’s right when two men, or two women love each other, and that’s what that lady thought about us this morning.”

“Why doesn’t she think it’s right?” Emily asked, confused.

“Some people just don’t understand people who are different from them, or maybe when they were young their parents taught them that certain things were wrong, or bad, and they still believe that.” The blonde was trying to give honest, clear answers without going into too much detail.

The young girl was quiet for a moment. “That’s stupid. Can I paint your nails now?” she asked, turning to the brunette.

“Sure, go get your polish.” Franky managed to suppress her amusement until Emily was out of the room. “Well, our work here is done!” The brunette stretched her arms above her head and then behind her over the back of the couch. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Bridget watching her, and couldn’t help but smile. “I’m going to go change.” She half expected the older woman to follow her to the bedroom, but she remained seated.

When Franky returned, the young girl was waiting for her.

“Can I use both colours?” she asked, holding up both bottles so the brunette could see them.

“Yeah, I want you to paint them just like yours!” Franky placed a small towel on her lap and laid her hand on it. She hoped that the towel would avoid any mess on her clothes or the furniture. “Just take your time, okay? You should ask Auntie if you can paint hers too when you’re done mine.”

“Can I?” Emily turned to Bridget with a big smile on her face.

“Of course, love.” She watched as her niece went back to work on Franky’s nails. “Is there anything you guys would like to do this afternoon? We could go into the city to the zoo or the scienceworks place.”

“I’m up for whatever.” The brunette was just glad to be around her two favorite people.

“Can we finish the lego house?” Emily asked as she carefully applied a layer of black polish to Franky’s thumbnail.

“The Ghostbusters one?” Bridget asked. She had gathered it up, and moved the box to the corner of the living room when the brunette had left to film the show. She hadn’t wanted to work on it without Franky being there to help.

“Yeah!” The young girl stopped her work for a second. “Can we make food on the fire again?”

“The same meal as last time or something else?” Franky remembered her liking the salmon she’d made the last time she was home.

“Anything on the fire.” Emily shrugged.

“There’s some chicken and fish in the fridge, and some veggies.” The blonde had made sure to pick up groceries on her way home from work the day before.

“We’ll come up with something then. You can help me.” The brunette gave the young girl a wink.

********

After Emily had painted both their nails, they’d all spent the afternoon working on their lego project, and had finished the first story of the building. The fire they’d lit to cook their supper had almost burned itself out, and Emily looked like she was fading quickly as well. The excitement of the day was catching up with her, and Bridget decided to put her to bed before she fell asleep outside with them.

She picked up the young girl, and walked across the patio and into the kitchen. She felt Emily start to stir.

“Where are we going?” she asked, her voice full of sleep.

“I’m taking you to bed, love.” Bridget spoke quietly hoping not to wake her any more than she already was.

“I want to sleep with you and Franky tonight.” Emily picked her head up off her aunt’s shoulder.

“No, you have to sleep in your bed tonight.” The blonde had been worried about this.

“No!” Emily started to squirm.

Bridget tried to hold onto her, but in the end, she was worried she would drop her if she didn’t put her down, so she bent over and stood her on the floor.

“Em, you have to sleep in your own bed. It’s not open for discussion.” The blonde reached down and put a hand on her shoulder to guide her towards her own bedroom.

“No.” She pulled her shoulder away from her aunt’s hand. “Can I please sleep in your bed? I missed Franky, and I like sleeping with you.”

Bridget was surprised at how quickly the young girl was able to switch her gameplan, going from defiant one moment, to sad and puppy dog eyes the next.

“No. We talked about this, remember?” She tried again to get Emily to move, but her niece stood her ground.

“Why can’t I sleep in your bed?” The young girl looked at the two women.

Bridget sighed. “Em, when you were having trouble sleeping because you were upset that Franky was gone, I said that you could stay with me until she was home. That was the deal, and you agreed, yeah? You promised you’d go back to sleeping in your bed. You know you have to keep your promises, so I need you to do that now please.”

“I’ll still be here in the morning, bub. We’ll have all day tomorrow together, too.” Franky thought that maybe Emily was worried that she’d sneak out sometime through the night, the same way she’d snuck in this morning.

The young girl reluctantly turned, and went into her bedroom.

“Do you want a story tonight?” Bridget asked from the doorway.

“No.” Emily pulled the blankets over her head.

“Okay, goodnight, love.” The blonde closed the bedroom door. “It’s been a long day, what do you say we call it a night, too?”

“Sounds good to me. I’ll go pick up the stuff outside and make sure the fire is out.” Franky gave her a quick kiss and headed back out to the patio.

When the brunette had finished outside, she entered the kitchen to find Bridget wiping down the counters. She walked up behind the blonde, and immediately felt the older woman press her back against her.

Bridget reached around to place a hand behind Franky’s head. She looked back over her shoulder, and connected their lips. It was a bit awkward, but she was quickly getting lost in the kiss. She felt the brunette’s hand reach around, and then her fingers trail lightly from her belly button, down to the waist of her pants. 

Franky flattened her hand against the blonde’s stomach, and slowly worked her hand in between her pants, and the fabric of her underwear. She moved her hand down, and let her fingers brush lightly over Bridget’s clit. She felt the other woman moan against her lips.

“We should go to bed, baby,” the blonde said, as she turned in Franky’s arms.

The brunette grinned, bent her knees, and picked Bridget up so she could carry her over her shoulder. She heard a small giggle behind her from the older woman.

“Shh,” Franky warned as she playfully spanked the other woman, which only earned her another giggle.

When they got to the bedroom, the brunette turned, and made sure to lock the door behind her. She walked over to the bed, and pulled down the blanket and sheet before placing Bridget on the soft linen. 

The blonde let herself fall backwards, and reached up to pull Franky down on top of her. She pushed her body up against the younger woman, trying to make as much contact as possible.

The brunette reached up and turned Bridget’s head to the side, allowing her to suck and bite at the skin on her neck. When she felt the blonde take hold of the hem of her shirt, Franky reached down, gathered both of her hands, and brought them above her head, pinning both of them there by the wrists with one of her own. She felt Bridget push against her again.

“Patience, Gidge,” Franky murmured as she scraped her teeth over the blonde’s earlobe. “You said I could do whatever I wanted, and I intend on taking my time. Unless you’ve changed your mind.” She saw a small smile form on Bridget’s lips, as the older woman shook her head. “Tell me how you want it, babe.”

“I just want you.” The blonde tried to pull one of her hands free, and felt Franky release both of them from her grasp. She put a hand behind the brunette’s head, and pulled her down for a deep kiss.

The doorknob rattled then there was a faint knock. So faint, in fact that neither of them heard it the first time. A few seconds later it was there again; louder this time.

“Auntie Bridge? Franky?” Emily’s voice came from the other side of the door.

“Yes, love?” Bridget asked as she broke their kiss.

“I’m thirsty. I need water.” The young girl still sounded a bit upset.

“There are bottles of water in the fridge on the bottom shelf. You can take one back to your bedroom with you, just make sure you put the top back on when you’re done drinking.” The blonde always made sure there were some drinks and snacks where Emily could reach them in case she woke up hungry or thirsty. She knew it didn’t happen often, but once in a while she’d find a bottle of water or a juice box in the young girl’s room in the morning.

“Okay,” Emily sighed.

They waited until they could see from the light coming in under the door, that she was no longer standing there. Franky began placing soft kisses on Bridget’s neck once more, and started to work her hand under the soft fabric of her shirt.

“Auntie Bridge?” The soft voice on the other side of the door had returned.

“Yeah?” The blonde felt Franky stop her movements.

“I can’t get it open. I need help.” Emily tried the doorknob again.

“Okay, just a second.” Bridget looked at the brunette. “I’m sorry, baby.”

Franky shook her head, and gave the blonde a small smile. “It’s okay.” She didn’t want Bridget to feel bad, the young girl could have just as easily asked for her instead.

The blonde opened the door just enough to stand there and talk to Emily.

“Here, let me see that.” Bridget reached out and took the bottle that her niece held up to her, and easily opened the top before handing it back to her.

“Can I come in with you guys?” she asked, trying to look past the blonde into the room.

“No, you have to sleep in your room.” Bridget stayed where she was, not giving Emily any opening she might interpret as an invitation to come in. 

“What are you guys doing?” the young girl asked looking up at her. “I heard you talking.”

Bridget briefly wondered how long she’d been standing there before she’d decided to knock.

“Yes, we were talking.” The blonde reasoned that it wasn’t a total lie. When Emily didn’t make a move back to her room, Bridget tried once more to get her to move along. “Come on, time for sleep.” She nodded across the hallway towards the young girl’s door.

“Why can’t I come in?” Emily tried once more to look past the blonde.

Bridget sighed. Maybe a bit of honesty was all that was going to work right now.

“Because Franky and I are spending some time together, just the two of us.” The blonde studied Emily’s face to see if she understood that meant they just wanted to be left alone. 

“But…” The young girl started to get upset when she realized that this basically meant she was excluded.

“Hey, shh, love, listen.” Bridget crouched down to talk to her niece. “You like to spend time with just me, and you like to spend time with just Franky, and it’s fun sometimes to all spend time together, right?”

Emily nodded her head.

“I like all those things, too, but couples also like to spend time with just each other. We all spent all day together, and you and I have spent a lot of time together lately, and Franky will be here all day tomorrow for you to hang out with. Right now, she and I just want some time to talk and hang out with each other, and then we’re going to sleep too. You’re not missing out on anything fun, okay?” Bridget gave the young girl a small smile. “So go back and lay down, and try to sleep.” She gave Emily a kiss on the cheek.

The young girl didn’t say anything, and Bridget waited until she’d gone in her room and shut the door before she went back and joined Franky in their bed.

“We’re not doing anything fun, huh?” Franky teased as she wrapped her arms around the blonde.

“You know what I meant.” Bridget shook her head and smiled. 

“Mhm.” The brunette kissed the sensitive spot below the other woman’s ear.

“Mmm, that feels nice,” Bridget whispered softly.

“Franky?” Emily was at the door again. “Are you still awake?”

“We’re going to sleep, bub. Go back to bed, okay? I’ll see you in the morning.” Franky felt a bit bad telling her to go away, but she knew that ultimately, what the young girl wanted was to stay in their bed, and that wasn’t allowed.

Emily didn’t say anything, but they could see from the shadow under the door that she’d left. They tried their best to pick up where they’d left off earlier, but they were both listening too carefully for every little sound outside the room, and waiting to see if it was Emily out of bed again.

“I don’t think this is going to happen tonight,” Franky sighed as she placed a final kiss on Bridget’s lips.

“I’m sorry, baby.” The blonde turned onto her side to face the younger woman.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about.” Franky wrapped her arms around her and held her close.

“I just keep thinking I hear her, and waiting for her to knock again.” Bridget gave her an apologetic smile.

“I know, me too.” The brunette gave her a soft kiss. “I like this though. Just holding you, and having you close.”

The blonde pulled her in for a long, slow kiss.

“I like it, too.” Bridget smiled.

They were both able to relax a bit, and enjoy each other once they had decided that sex was off the table for the night. At least if they were just cuddling and making out, they didn’t have to worry about being interrupted in the middle of something, or have to worry that maybe they had forgotten to lock the door, and Emily would walk in and see something that she shouldn’t.

********

When Bridget woke, the first thought in her mind was how good it felt to wake up being held. As soon as she moved a bit, she felt the brunette’s arms tighten around her.

“Don’t get up yet, babe,” Franky mumbled, barely awake.

“I’m not.” She kissed the younger woman’s lips softly.

It took a few seconds, but once the brunette was fully awake, she deepened their kiss, and turned them so that she was on top of the blonde. She pushed her hips into Bridget, and was rewarded with a small moan.

“Are you guys awake?” Emily turned the knob, and stuck her head into the room.

Franky sighed. “I forgot to lock it when I came back from the bathroom during the night,” she said quietly to the blonde.

“It’s okay.” Bridget gave her a quick kiss, and nudged her arm, so she’d move off her. “Yeah, we’re awake.”

Emily climbed onto the bed and made herself a space between them.

“Love, we need to talk about something.” The blonde thought this would be a good time to talk about the issue of her running into their room without knocking. It was okay when she was younger, but she was getting old enough to understand that it wasn’t polite. 

“Am I in trouble?” Emily looked up at her aunt.

“No, you’re not in trouble,” Bridget said as she rubbed her back. “It’s just, from now on, if the door is closed, we’d like you to knock, and wait for one of us to tell you it’s okay to come in. If it’s the middle of the night, and you need something, you can still just come in because knocking probably won’t wake us. In the mornings, or any other time though, you need to knock.”

“Why?” Emily asked quietly.

“Because it’s the polite thing to do. Do you know what the word ‘privacy’ means?” The blonde knew this was a concept that children developed at different ages, but she figured the young girl should be able to understand it at least on a basic level.

“It’s when…” Emily paused for a minute before she shook her head.

“Sometimes there are things that you prefer to do alone, right?” Bridget waited for an answer. When she got none, she continued. “When you use the bathroom, would you rather be alone?” Emily nodded her head. “And when you’re in the shower, same thing?” She felt another nod. “And changing your clothes?” Another nod. “So that means that you want privacy when you do those things. You want to be alone. Let’s make a rule that if you want to come into a bedroom or a bathroom, and the door is closed, you have to knock first.”

“Okay.” Emily appeared to be thinking. “Privacy is when you want to be alone, but you and Franky aren’t alone in your bedroom.”

The blonde silently cursed the fact that her niece was too smart for her age sometimes. 

“That’s different. There are special rules for couples. Kind of like what we talked about last night.” Bridget hoped this would end the conversation.

“So you always want to be around Franky?” Emily’s innocent question made her aunt smile.

“Well, I’d rather use the bathroom alone, but other than that, yeah.” Bridget gave a small laugh.

The brunette let out a small laugh as well. “I’d prefer that too.”

The young girl was quiet again for a moment, then simply said ‘okay’. The blonde was glad the conversation was over. 

********

They spent Sunday in much the same way as they had Saturday, except today Franky and Emily made breakfast instead of going to the café. After they’d eaten, the young girl asked to play checkers again, which prompted a short trip to the mall where they bought not one, but four new games from the toy store. The brunette had wanted to buy Emily her very own Rex, but Bridget insisted that the games were enough for one day, especially when it wasn’t a special occasion. 

“Why do you have to leave? We haven’t played all the new games yet.” Emily looked up at the brunette when she was told it was time to say goodbye.

“It won’t be much longer until I’m back here all the time like normal.” Franky crouched down and took hold of the young girl’s hands. “You can learn them with Auntie, and then you guys can beat me when we get to play.” The brunette gave her a big smile, which was returned. “Can I have a hug before I go?”

Emily nodded, and wrapped her arms around Franky.

“I love you.” The brunette gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“I love you, too,” she mumbled into Franky’s shoulder.

The brunette stood, and held open her arms to Bridget. “I love you so much,” she said as she wrapped her arms around the older woman.

“I love you, too. Kick some ass this week, okay? You got this.” The blonde knew that this was the last week of filming and that in a few short days, Franky could be on her way to making her dreams come true.

“I will.” The brunette gave her a soft kiss. She let go of Bridget, and picked up the small bag she’d brought with her. “I’ll be back soon.”

She gave them a final wave as she exited the door, and walked out to her car. Franky knew they were watching her, but she didn’t look back until just before she sat in the car. Leaving was always the hardest part about getting to come home, but she took a deep breath and told herself that this was the last time she’d have to do it.


	67. Chapter 67

It was the night before their final challenge, and Franky didn’t think she’d been able to close her eyes for even a second since she’d gone to bed. Her mind kept running through what Jared could possibly ask of them. She knew it would be something that would challenge them, and she’d have to nail it if she wanted to be in the finale.

Franky closed her eyes, and tried again to clear her mind and relax her body. It was no use, she was too hyped up. She wished Bridget was there with her. The blonde always knew exactly how to comfort her, and help her relax, and Franky always slept better when she was near. She could also think of a few things they could do to help her burn off some of her excess energy.

She had loved being home for the weekend, but being around Bridget after so long apart, and not being able to be physical with her, had only left the brunette wanting her even more. Franky looked around the room. She was all by herself, the last woman standing. 

She pulled the sheets up over her head so that she was completely covered. Bridget may not be here, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t work off some of her energy by herself. She took a deep breath and slid her hand into her pants. She thought about when she’d come up behind the blonde in the kitchen, wrapped her arm around her, and touched her in much the same way she was touching herself now. She’d always enjoyed fucking women from behind. There was something dominant about it. 

As she drew small circles on her clit, she remembered the way Bridget’s breath had hitched when her fingers made contact. She concentrated on the movement of her fingers and tried to clear her mind. The blonde had been finishing cleaning up from supper when Franky had gone to her. That was a good supper she’d cooked over the fire. The chicken had been tender, and cooking it with the vegetables in the foil had made it very flavorful. Maybe that could be something she could use if they had to prepare a dish of their choice tomorrow.

Franky shook her head. She’d gotten off track. She took a deep breath, and continued. _‘You can do whatever you want to me'_. Bridget’s words echoed in her mind. There were so many things the brunette could think of that she wanted to do to her, all of them ending in a powerful orgasm for the other woman.

When the blonde had lifted her body from the bed to press against Franky, the brunette was torn between wanting to fuck her hard and fast, and wanting to make her beg for it all night. She could take her to the edge then pull her back for hours if she wanted to. Now that she thought about it, she wouldn’t be opposed to Bridget doing those things to her either. They could fuck all night, then she’d cook them breakfast in the morning; Bridget sitting on one of the stools at the island in the green silk robe Franky loved so much, watching her cook. She could try to recreate the omelette she’d had at the cafe the other morning. It had spinach, zucchini, and goat cheese for sure. There was something spicy too, maybe sriracha, or it might have been a different type of hot sauce. She’d have to experiment and try some different ones.

The brunette sighed. She couldn’t make her mind stay focused on the task at hand.

“Fuck it,” she mumbled, as she threw off the sheet, and got up out of the bed.

She walked through the house in her bare feet, and out onto the patio. She smiled when she saw Shayne sitting in one of the lounge chairs. She’d been able to sleep a bit better after those first few nights, so their late-night conversations had become less frequent. She knew he was still out here most nights though.

“Hey.” She let herself fall into the chair beside him.

“Hey. Can’t sleep?” he asked, turning his head to look at her.

“Nah. I’ve been thinking about the next challenge all day, and now I can’t make my mind stop.” The brunette stretched her arms back over her head.

“Same.” Shayne reached up, and scratched the back of his neck. “So how was your weekend at home?”

“It was good. Really good.” The brunette couldn’t help but smile before she continued. “Em is having a bit of a rough time I think. She’s been sleeping in our bed with Bridget, and didn’t want to go back to her own when I was there.”

“She must really miss you.” Shayne had only caught glimpses of Franky’s interactions with Emily, but he could tell they adored each other. 

“Yeah, she does.” The brunette took a deep breath. “She learned how to play checkers this weekend, and she wanted to try my coffee when we went out for breakfast. She didn’t like it; I knew she wouldn’t, but…” Franky trailed off. She could feel herself getting emotional, and that was the opposite of what she needed right now.

“Do you guys want more kids?” He tried to move on to a happier topic for the brunette.

“Yeah, we do. Probably not right away. It’s a process, ‘cause, you know, I can’t just go get knocked up, and we want to get married first. Not because we’re all traditional or anything, but it’s something we’ve both wanted for awhile now, and it seems like it’s taken a backseat to other things. I was planning to propose earlier, then the stuff with Em happened, and now the show, so yeah, we just really want to do that before we start on another big thing in our lives.” Franky stopped talking when she realized that she was rambling on.

“Well, I’ve been told I’d probably be a pretty cool uncle.” Shayne watched for her reaction out of the corner of his eye.

“What makes you think I’ll keep in touch when this is over?” The brunette was able to say it with a straight face, but the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.

“Aww, Franks, that hurt.” He laughed, placing a hand over his chest.

Franky just laughed and shook her head.

********

“Hey, Vera.” Bridget entered the staffroom carrying the bags of food she’d had delivered and had just picked up from the front desk. She noticed her friend looked tired. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Julia walk over to the coffee maker to refill her mug.

“Hey.” Vera gave her friend a small smile. “Thanks again for getting lunch for us. Let me give you some money.”

“No worries, and I don’t want any money,” she said, setting the food out on the table. “I wanted to treat myself anyway, and I got extra to take home for Em to have for supper. Our meals have gone severely downhill since Franky left.”

“I bet.” Vera gave a small nod.

Julia gave them both a grin as she walked past the table on her way back to her office.

“I’ll be glad when she’s gone,” the blonde said, taking a bite of her food.

“I’ve heard it could be as early as the end of the week, or sometime next week. I know she’s already submitted final reports for some areas. Good choice on the food by the way.” The governor pointed to her lunch with her fork.

“It had good reviews, so I figured why not.” Bridget would have taken anything over her own cooking at this point. “I do have a favour to ask you, if you’re not busy this weekend would you mind taking Em on Friday night? I want to surprise Franky with a night at a hotel. It’ll either be a celebration that she’s won, or just that it’s over and she’s back with us. She may even finish before then, but she’ll be done by Friday for sure.”

“A celebration?” Vera gave her a knowing grin. “I can take her for the night, sure.”

“Normally I wouldn’t just ask for the sake of having a night without her but…” The blonde looked around to make sure they were alone. “She just would not leave us alone when Franky was home last weekend.” Her best friend was the only person Bridget would ever talk to about her sex life, and even then it was rare.

The governor raised an eyebrow. “I think every parent sends their kid away at some point just to have some time without them. It’s nothing to feel bad about.”

“Thanks.” Bridget gave her a smile.

********

Bridget was in her office setting out some new pamphlets that had just arrived when there was a knock at her door. She glanced at the clock. She didn’t have a session starting for the next half hour, but it wasn’t uncommon for an officer to bring by an inmate in distress, or for one of them to want to talk about something that had happened. 

“Come in,” she called out, and heard the beep of a swipe card being used.

“Good afternoon, Bridget.”

The blonde turned to see her ex standing in the doorway.

“Leave the door open,” she said when she saw that Julia was going to shut it behind her. “What do you want?”

“Don’t be like that. I just came to have a little chat. I know our last meeting didn’t end well. I know why, but I feel like things have changed now.” Julia took a seat on the arm of one of the green chairs, and crossed her legs.

“Nothing has changed.” The blonde pulled another stack of pamphlets out of the box on her desk.

“Are you sure?” Julia tilted her head to try to get a better view of Bridget’s face. When she didn’t get a response, she continued. “I heard what you said to Vera at lunch about Franky leaving. I’m sorry to hear that it didn’t work out, but sometimes things happen for a reason. Let me take you out tonight.”

“Are you fucking serious?” The blonde couldn’t help it. She knew it was unprofessional, but it just came out of her mouth. “I think you should go now.”

“I know you’re probably still upset about it, but it might do you good to get out and have some fun.” A small grin played on her lips.

“Franky and I didn’t break up, she’s away for work, and she’ll be back at the end of the week.” Bridget gave her a sarcastic grin when she saw the look on her ex’s face.

Julia stood, and took a step towards her.

“She asked you to leave,” Vera said from the doorway. She hadn’t been eavesdropping. She’d been on her way to see the blonde anyway, and with the door open, sound carried well in the quiet hallway.

“Oh of course you’d show up.” Julia turned her attention to the governor. “You were always sticking your nose in where it didn’t belong. You spent our whole relationship trying to get her to leave me. You know, I was never sure if you were just jealous of her spending time with someone who wasn’t you, or if you were jealous that I got to fuck her, and you didn’t.”

“I…” Vera started to speak, but her words escaped her until she saw the evil grin on the other woman’s face. “You were an arrogant, abusive bitch, and you never deserved her.” 

The three of them stood there in silence. They were all in shock after the governor’s uncharacteristic outburst.

“What the fuck is going on?” Will appeared behind Vera.

“Just escort her out of the building for now, please.” Vera stepped aside to let him into the room.

“Did she call you to come save her too?” Julia asked as Will led her away.

“I could hear you all the way down in my office.” He never looked down, or broke his stride.

“Are you okay?” Bridget quickly stepped around her desk and took her friend in her arms.

Vera nodded. “I think I should be the one asking you that.”

“I’m fine. She’ll be going back to Sydney soon, and by the looks of it she won’t be back in here before she leaves.” The blonde loosened her arms when she felt Vera start to pull away.

“Uh, about what she said, I-”

“Shh, Vera, no. Don’t even bother addressing it. She just throws out bullshit looking for a reaction.” Bridget knew that her friend didn’t like talking about her feelings, and she just wanted the awkwardness to end for her. It didn’t matter to her if what Julia had said was in any way true or not, and Vera didn’t owe her an explanation.

“Okay,” came Vera’s soft reply.

********

“Good morning everyone! I hope you’ve slept well, because today you have a very important challenge ahead of you.” Jared could clearly tell from the weariness on their faces that none of them had indeed had a restful night. “It’s one I’ve been looking forward to called ‘taste it, now make it’. I have in front of me three servings of one of my dishes. You’ll each have forty-five minutes to recreate it from taste alone. Best of luck.” He stepped aside as each of them came to the front and grabbed a plate to take back to their workstations.

Franky studied the dish carefully. There was some kind of fish in a broth, along with what looked to be dumplings. She’d had to figure out what was used for the filling in those as well. There was a lot to work out, and not long to do it. The pantry was fully stocked so as to not give away any clues as to what the ingredients might be.

She took a fork and carefully pulled away a piece of the fish to get an idea of what the texture was like. Just from how it looked, she already had two options in mind; sea bass, or halibut. She thought it didn’t look flaky enough to be halibut, and once she tasted it, she was sure that it wasn’t. She decided to go with the sea bass because of the sweetness of it.

Next came the broth. While many different base stocks were always available to them, she felt it was obvious that the seafood stock would form the base for her broth. She took a spoonful of it from the dish and blew on it to cool it down a bit. She found that food always lost some of it’s flavour if it was too hot or too cold, and right now she wanted to be able to taste all of it. She used the trick she’d told Jenna about on their first day on set, and breathed out through her nose. She picked up hints of lemon, ginger, and something else that she couldn’t quite place. She’d leave it for now.

She picked up one of the dumplings, and set it on a small plate. She cut it open to look at what was on the inside. It was a white, tender meat; some kind of seafood she guessed. Not another kind of fish though, but maybe shellfish. She pulled the meat out of one half of the cut dumpling with her fork. She didn’t want to get the texture or flavour of the dough mixed in with the filling. As soon as she put it in her mouth, she knew immediately that it was lobster. It was mixed with something though. She was picking up a hint of onion, but there were also small bits of green mixed in. She thought that maybe Jared had used both onions and scallions, thinking that they would only pick up on the scallions because of the visual cue, and leave out the onions.

She set to work on steaming the lobster for the dumplings. The fish would be the last thing she would need to cook, as it wouldn’t take long, and her dish would fail for sure if it was overcooked. She chopped the onions very fine, as she hadn’t picked up on their texture, only the flavor. 

The brunette glanced over at Shayne. He seemed to be having a hard time determining which fish he should use. She wished she was able to help him, but at the end of the day, he was her competition right now.

Once the lobster was steaming, she started preparing the broth. She poured some of the seafood stock into the pan, and added some lemongrass and fresh ginger. She knew something was missing, but she tasted it anyway just to make sure. She stood looking at her options for what else she could add. She thought it must be something liquid since she didn’t see anything else in Jared’s dish. Two things stood out to her, sake, and soy sauce.

Part of her wanted to choose the sake simply because it would be an unlikely ingredient. SHe pushed that from her mind though, and concentrated on the taste. In her opinion, the broth had a bit of saltiness to it, which would come from soy sauce, but not sake. She wasn’t completely sure, but she had to make a decision, or she’d run out of time before she finished the dish.

The very last thing was to cook the fish. Her choice of fish was one thing she was sure she had right. She carefully cooked it to just the right temperature, making sure to baste it with the broth so that it picked up the flavours, and wouldn’t dry out.

When she was happy with everything, she plated her dish. She wasn’t sure if she’d gotten everything right, but to her, the finished product tasted almost exactly like Jared’s. The timer rang, and she took her dish to the front counter for the chef to taste along with the others.

“Alright, first up, Shayne, let’s see what you’ve come up with. Tell me which ingredients you’ve chosen here.” Jared picked up Shayne’s dish and set it in front of him. As the young man began to explain what he’d chosen, the chef sampled it.

“I chose halibut for the protein, it’s in a seafood broth with lemongrass and ginger. Then for the dumplings I have lobster with scallions and onion.” He tried to read the chef’s face as he tasted the food, but was unable.

“Tastes very nice, thank you.” Jared handed the dish back to Shayne. “Lucas, what do you have?”

Franky exchanged a look with Shayne as he stepped back in line beside her. They had made different choices, and the only thing she knew for sure was that they couldn’t both be right.

“I have sea bass in a seafood broth with lemongrass, ginger, and sake. In the dumplings, I have lobster, onions, and scallions.” Lucas wiped his forehead nervously.

“Fuck,” Shayne muttered under his breath.

The brunette reached over and quickly touched his arm with the tips of her fingers so that he’d look at her. “Don’t assume you’re wrong,” she whispered quietly.

He nodded his head, but didn’t look convinced.

“That’s very nice as well. You can take your dish and step back in line.” The chef turned to Franky. “Last, but not least, Franky, let’s see what you’ve made.”

The brunette took a deep breath before she presented her dish to Jared.

“Tell us which ingredients you chose,” the chef said, as he took a bite of the fish.

“I chose sea bass for the protein, and the broth is a seafood base with lemongrass, ginger, and soy sauce. The dumplings have a steamed lobster filling with onions and scallions.” Franky said it all in one breath, afraid that if she stopped, she’d lose her train of thought.

“Hmm.” Jared brought his hand up to his chin, as if in thought. “Okay, thank you. You can stand back in line.”

The brunette was worried. In her mind, she’d gotten the least favorable reaction to her dish. She thought maybe she was wrong about her choice of fish, or maybe she should have gone with the sake after all. She could feel a nervous sweat start to break out over her skin. She might be going home tonight. In a way, she didn’t hate the idea, but at the same time, she’d come this far, and the end of the competition was only a few days away anyway. 

“First of all, I’d just like to say to everyone that you all did a very good job. Your dishes, whether correct or not, all tasted great. Unfortunately, the point of this challenge wasn’t just to make something that tasted great, it was to make an exact copy of the dish I gave you, using only your sense of taste as a guide.” Jared looked at each one of them. “Let’s start by talking about the broth. You all used a seafood stock for the base, along with lemongrass and ginger. Shayne, you left it at that, while Lucas, you added sake, and Franky, you added soy sauce. Only one of you got it completely right. Franky, congratulations, you have a point for your broth.”

“Thank you, chef.” The brunette let out a shaky breath in an effort to calm her nerves.

“Next we’ll look at the dumplings. I tried to fool you with those.” He gave them a small smile. “Clearly, that didn’t work since you each got those spot on. One point to each of you for the dumplings. Right now, Franky, you’re in the lead with two points, and the men have one point each. Next, on to the protein. Getting the protein right is key. It was sea bass, so Lucas and Franky, you each get a point. Franky, that means you’re the winner with three points, and Shayne, I’m sorry, but I’ll need your jacket. Your time here with us has come to an end.”

Franky shook her head. She wasn’t ready to say goodbye to him. She didn’t want to be here alone. She had barely talked to Lucas during their time there, and she didn’t want to be left there with only him for company. 

“Shayne,” She jogged a few steps to catch up to the young man, who was on his way to the door, and wrapped her arms around him. She felt her hug returned, immediately. “You did so well, and you’d better stay in touch or else I’ll have to come hunt you down.”

He gave a small laugh. “I will. You got this, Franks.” He gave her two pats on the back, then let go of her.

Franky watched him walk through the doors, then returned to her spot next to Lucas.

“Congratulations. You two will face off against each other on Friday evening in the season finale. You’ll each be in charge of your own kitchen brigade, which you will get to choose. You can bring back past teammates, friends, family members, but no celebrity chefs. You can’t ring up Gordon Ramsey or Wolfgang Puck and ask them to be on your team. Unless, of course, they’re your uncle or something.” He smiled as he saw both contestants shake their heads. “No? Okay, good. Now, Franky, you’ll be cooking in the Red kitchen, and Lucas, you’ll have the Blue kitchen. We’ll need the names of the people you want on your teams by tomorrow afternoon, and they’ll be able to come in on Thursday morning, then stay overnight so they’re here bright and early to start prep work on Friday. Teams will be five members total, including yourselves. The menus will be completely your own. You can make whatever dishes you like, and the winner will be determined based on the ratings the diners give your food. Last, but not least, let’s not forget what you’ll be playing for; a cool seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Alright, you’ve both got a lot to think about and a busy couple of days ahead, so go try to get some rest tonight.” Jared gave them each one final nod before he headed back up the stairs to his office.

“Well done,” Lucas said, holding out his hand to the brunette.

Franky was still in a bit of disbelief, and it took her a second to reach out and shake his hand. “Thanks, same to you.”

The brunette was already going over her team in her mind. She already knew who she wanted, she just needed to clear something with Jillian first. She looked around the set, and spotted the producer.

“Jillian.” Franky jogged the few steps over to her, not wanting to miss her opportunity to talk. “Just to clarify, we can have anyone on our team, right?”

“Except a celebrity chef, yeah. If you have a friend who works at a local restaurant or something, that’s fine. Just nothing too crazy.” Jillian gave her a small smile and glanced back at her phone.

“I want Em.” The brunette held the producer’s gaze when she looked up from her phone.

“Franky, she’s…” Jillian trailed off. “She’s a kid.”

“I know.” She was completely serious that she wanted the young girl on her team.

“I just, I want you to be sure you know what you’re doing. She would count as a member of your team. Do you understand what that means?” The producer hoped Franky was aware of the potential consequences of her decision.

“That she’s one of my four picks? Yeah, I get it.” The brunette gave her a small nod.

“Okay,” Jillian sighed. “I’ll need Bridget to sign the usual waiver, and it’s up to you to look out for her on set.”

“Sure, no problem.” Franky would agree to whatever the conditions were. “Is it possible to call Gidge now?” It was getting late, and the brunette wanted to know tonight if this was something Bridget was going to allow Emily to do.

“Sure.” Jillian looked at her watch. “Go to the interview room in about five minutes. I’ll meet you there.”

********

“Hey, baby,” Bridget said quietly when she answered the phone.

“Hey,” the brunette smiled at her. “I hope I didn’t wake you. I know it’s later than I usually call.”

“No, I’m just turning off the lights before I go to bed. Em’s already asleep.” The blonde sat down on the couch. “Everything okay?” Late night phone calls from anyone had always worried her.

“Yeah,” Franky couldn’t help the huge smile that appeared on her face. “I made it to the finale!”

“Oh, baby, that’s amazing! I’m so proud of you. Em will be so excited when she hears, too. I won’t tell her though, I’ll let you do that when you guys talk next.” Bridget was so happy for her fiancée.

“That’s kind of what I called to talk to you about.” The brunette just now realized that she was a bit nervous that the older woman might not agree with her idea.

“Oh?” The blonde wasn’t quite sure if what Franky was about to say was going to be good or bad.

“We get to pick our team for the finale. I get four people, plus myself. I know I want Shayne, and Liz. I’m thinking maybe Jenna. She’s a good cook if she can stay calm.” She looked down at her hands; she knew she was just rambling on now. “I’d like Em to be on there as well. Jillian said it was fine as long as you agreed.”

“Franky….” This was definitely not something that had crossed her mind before. She opened her mouth to speak again, then closed it.

“She’s really good for her age, and I want her to have a good memory of this time. Something other than just the fact that I was away for so long. If you don’t want her to do it though, it’s okay. I’ll understand.” The brunette sensed Bridget’s hesitation, and wanted her to know that she respected whichever decision she made.

“It’s not that.” The blonde sighed and looked down the hallway at the closed door of the bedroom where her niece was currently sleeping.

“You can tell me anything you want, babe.” Franky could see the other woman’s mind working.

“Do you think you can win with her? I get what you’re trying to do with getting her involved, and I’m sure she’d love it. You’ve got a big heart, especially when it comes to her, and I just don’t want you to put yourself at a disadvantage simply because you want to do something nice for her. This is something that could potentially be life-changing for you. I just need to know you’ve really considered everything.” Bridget felt bad making it sound like it was just about winning the competition, but she knew if Franky won, she’d most likely buy her own restaurant; something she said she’d always dreamed about.

“I feel like I can make it work. I’ll find easier stuff that she can do, but that’s still helpful. Liz and Shayne know their shit.” The brunette tried to read the older woman’s face.

“It’s ultimately your decision. If you’re sure, then I’m okay with it if Em agrees.” Bridget would give her consent, but she would let the young girl decide for herself if she wanted to do it. She would be very surprised, however, if she declined.

“Thanks, Gidge,” Franky’s huge smile had returned. “And yeah, of course it’s up to her.”

“When does she need to be there?” The blonde would have to let the school know, and clear some time off with Vera.

“She’d come in Thursday morning, and stay until after filming was done sometime Friday evening.” She caught the look of surprise on Bridget’s face. “She’d me with me and Liz the whole time. She’d even have a bed in the same room, or she could sleep with me in my bed.”

“Okay, just make it clear that once she’s in, she’s in. This is something important, and she can’t decide halfway through that she’s not into it anymore.” The blonde thought this would be a good lesson for Emily about following through on something once you’d made a commitment.

“I think she’s going to be so excited.” Franky was pretty sure that she wouldn’t be getting much sleep the next couple of nights.

“Speaking of the finale, and filming being over; I think that we should celebrate after everything is done Friday night, whether you win or not.” Bridget gave her a small grin.

“Oh yeah?” She did that quick little scrunch of her nose that the blonde thought was cute.

“Mhm.” Bridget nodded her head. “I want to take you to a nice hotel, and we can just spend the night together.”

“Gidge, you don’t have to take me anywhere.” Franky would be happy as long as she had the older woman in her arms.

“I know, but you’ve worked hard, you always do, and you do so much for us. Besides, I want to, and that’s reason enough on it’s own.” The blonde saw the younger woman smile, then shift in her chair. Franky had always been uncomfortable receiving praise or compliments. “Plus, it’s already booked.”

The brunette gave a small laugh. “Well in that case, where are we going?”

“The Grand Hyatt. I got us the deluxe king room.” Bridget gave her a wink.

“That’s…expensive.” It was the first word that came into Franky’s mind. “It’ll be amazing though, I can’t wait.” She realized that her first comment made it sound like she wasn’t grateful, so she wanted to make sure that the blonde knew that she absolutely did appreciate it. “What about Em?”

“Vera is taking her for the night. It’s all worked out.” Bridget had asked her friend before she’d known about Emily probably being in the finale, but she didn’t think it would really change a lot.

“That’s great! I hope she behaves and doesn’t want to come with us.” Franky could picture Vera having an awful night of losing sleep if the young girl knew that they had gone somewhere without her.

The blonde shook her head. “I’m going to tell her that you aren’t allowed to come home until later on Saturday afternoon.”

“Lying to her? That’s not like you, babe,” the brunette said with mock shock.

Bridget simply shrugged. “It’s harmless.”

“True.” Franky looked to her left. “I have to go now. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Get some rest. I love you.” The blonde blew her a kiss.

“I love you, too.”


End file.
